Hogg: Now is the time for young guns to shine

EXETER Chiefs’ young talent have had to bide their time but are now the focus of Rob Baxter’s side and former full-back Stuart Hogg says the pressure’s on with a ‘sink or swim’ mentality.

- BEN JAYCOCK

Hogg, 31, who is now a TNT Sports pundit, was among a host of names that departed Sandy Park last summer with fellow British and Irish Lions Jack Nowell, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Sam Simmonds moving on.

The mass exodus has led to the average age of the squad dropping from around 30 to 23 and while there’s still experience from the likes of England centre Henry Slade, and winger Olly Woodburn, the injection of youth from the club’s academy and partnership with Exeter University has resulted in a new lease of life into Baxter’s squad.

Hogg, Scotland’s record try scorer with 27, told The Rugby Paper: “They’ve got an incredible amount of talent coming through. The academy has been in a good place the last few years and with the link with Exeter Uni there’s players that have played in BUCS Super Rugby and also for the Chiefs. They’ve had to bide their time a bit, working hard with the old heads ahead of them.