Fresh off the back of a hugely successful final year of university, props Jacob Morris and Fin Richardson have both put pen to paper with Exeter Chiefs, signing their first professional contracts with the club.

Both players will spend the 2022/23 season on-loan with Plymouth Albion in National 1, having proven themselves in the green and white hoops of EURFC over the last few years.

Morris previously played his rugby at Whitgift school before studying at Exeter, with the prop going on to make 19 appearances for EURFC. He started every match of the 2021/22 BUCS Super Rugby season, up until suffering a season-ending injury against Loughborough at Sandy Park in February.

Now fully recovered, the prop is raring to go in a professional environment and, with 5 tries to his name last season, his ability to pick holes in a defensive line, alongside his work at the scrum, will only strengthen his credentials as a player with a big future.

Prop Fin Richardson played during the 2019/20 BUCS Super Rugby season that was prematurely ended due to the pandemic.

Richardson has represented Scotland at age-group level and, having recovered from an injury suffered against his new loan club in August 2021, he became a crucial player in the 2021/22 BUCS Super Rugby side, being named Man of the Match in a 26-21 Varsity victory over Loughborough.

Having made 34 BUCS Super Rugby appearances during his time in Exeter, along with numerous appearances in the South West Premier, Richardson is a player that is ready to make the step up. His strength at the scrum and work-rate around the park will be key attributes this season that will serve both the Chiefs and Plymouth Albion well.

The news that both players have signed for Exeter this season mean that six graduates from the 2021/22 squad have now signed professional contracts this season, with numerous other players set to ply their trade throughout the English and Welsh leagues as well.