Exeter Chiefs send out of favour scrum-half out on loan
Exeter Chiefs scrum-half Sam Maunder has joined RFU Championship side Coventry on loan with immediate effect the club has confirmed with the Premiership side looking to make changes in the key playmaker position
Maunder returned to action at the start of the 2024/25 season from a horror knee injury that sidelined him for 18 months and was given a run of games in the number nine jersey to stake his claim but failed to do so, with Stu Townsend emerging as Rob Baxter's first choice scrum half at the club this season. But speaking on Tuesday, Baxter confirmed he is looking to sign at least one top-end scrum-half ahead of the 2025/26 season with a number of his current options out of contract.
READ MORE: Exeter Chiefs transfer latest: Jacques Vermeulen set to leave, Leicester Tigers forward linked
READ MORE: Rob Baxter explains why Exeter Chiefs have signed Australian international flanker Tom Hooper
The scrum-half duties have been rotated between Maunder, Townsend, Niall Armstrong, Will Becconsall and Tom Cairns this season.
Maunder, a former England U20 international, comes from a rich family heritage of Chiefs players. He followed his father and brother's footsteps in coming through the club and into the first team. Since making his Chiefs debut in September 2018, Maunder has made more than 50 appearances for the club.
The 24-year-old joins Alex Rae’s squad with immediate effect and will be available for selection in Coventry’s upcoming Championship fixtures and the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Coventry head coach Rae said: “The arrival at the Butts of a quality operator like Sam with loads of Premiership experience is a real positive for us. We’re very grateful to Rob Baxter and Exeter for giving him the opportunity to come and spend some time with us.
“We’ve already seen in training that Sam will bring plenty to our group as we seek to put some good performances together in the league and to qualify for the cup quarter-finals.”
He is just the latest of Chiefs players to go out on loan during the season with winger Paul Brown-Bampoe joining Plymouth Albion before Christmas only to return last week due to a shortage of options in the back three and he produced a stunning two-try performance in Saturday's defeat to Bordeaux Begles in the Champions Cup.
Lock Lewis Pearson has also gone out on loan to Cornish Pirates midway through the season having struggled for game time this campaign since coming back from an Achilles injury.
