EXETER Chiefs have moved to secure the experience and leadership of club captain Jack Yeandle, who has signed a one-year extension that will take him into a 15th season at Sandy Park.

Yeandle’s new deal ensures the hooker remains a central figure at the club as they continue to rebuild and reshape the squad following the departure of several senior players from their most successful era.

The 36-year-old is one of only three remaining members of Exeter’s historic 2020 double-winning side, alongside Henry Slade and Olly Woodburn. That team famously lifted both the Gallagher Premiership and the European Champions Cup, marking the peak of the club’s modern success.

Yeandle said: “I can’t wait to get stuck into another season. Everyone knows how much this club means to me and the chance to continue making new memories at Sandy Park is one I’m really thankful for.

“Leading this team, lifting trophies and making friendships for life has meant so much to me. I still feel like one of the young ones in the changing room, even if the boys like to remind me otherwise!

“It’s because of that though, that I still feel like I have a lot left to give to the squad, on and off the pitch. It’s an honour to be continuing on the journey this team is on and I’m excited to see what we can achieve.”

Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter said retaining Yeandle was a straightforward decision, given the value he continues to bring both on and off the pitch.

“It was a very easy decision to keep him,” Baxter said. “He’s been having another fantastic season for us and, alongside his performances, the leadership he brings to the group is massive. He really understands what we’re about.”

Yeandle, who has made more than 325 appearances for the Devon club since joining in 2012, has long been regarded as one of the club’s defining figures of the professional era. He made his debut later that year against London Welsh in the LV= Cup and, just three years later, was appointed captain at the age of 25.

Since then, he has featured in every Premiership or European final the club has reached during its golden period, lifting two Premiership titles and captaining the side during their unforgettable 2020 double triumph.

Even as the Chiefs evolve into a younger squad, Yeandle’s presence remains vital inside the dressing room, where he is viewed as a key cultural leader and a benchmark for standards and work rate.

Despite an injury-hit spell this season, the hooker has still managed 20 appearances, including playing a role in Exeter’s hard-fought EPCR Challenge Cup win away to Benetton Rugby in Treviso.

Baxter believes the current setback could ultimately extend Yeandle’s career by allowing him to focus on conditioning and recovery.

“If there’s one thing I know about Jack, it’s that he’ll come back as one of the fittest players in the squad and ready to work the hardest,” he said. “He’s sorely missed at the moment, but this period might actually help him in the long run.”