Aviva Premiership side the Exeter Chiefs have decided to send three of their up and coming young players to the RFU Championship side the Cornish Pirates to gather valuable experience, playing regularly. The Pirates have signed Jack Nowell, Dave Ewens and Sam Hill on dual registration deals that will see them playing in the RFU Championship for the team as the team looks to secure promotion to the top tier of English professional rugby.
Hill, an Under-20 international for England, was with the Cornish Pirates on a similar deal last season, playing 23 matches, scoring 3 tries for them in the second tier of English professional rugby and his performances earned the plaudits of both the fans and the management, so much so that they have renewed their deal to take the player back from the Exeter Chiefs for the upcoming season.
Another player who is extremely familiar with the atmosphere of The Pirates is Ewes. The 21 year old played 18 games for the RFU Championship side in the second division league and also turned out for The Chiefs in the LV= Cup as well as Amlin Cup. Nowell, who hails from Cornish itself, is currently undergoing a rehabilitation program for an injured knee played for the England national team at the Under-18 age level and was sent out by The Chiefs on a similar deal to Plymouth Albion in the same division last season.
According to Rod Coward, the Chief Executive Officer of the Cornish Pirates, they are delighted to be able to pull off such a deal with the Exeter Chiefs, which will see their players get valuable time on the pitch before hitting the big time and help them edge closer to a return to the top tier of the English professional rugby ladder as well.