EXETER CHIEFS
Director of RugbyRob Baxter
Rob Baxter is the director of rugby at Exeter Chiefs, the longest-serving boss in the Premiership, who took the club from the second tier to a European and domestic double.
Tenure record
as of 20 Jun 2026By competition
Premiership Rugby 20P · 12W · 1D · 7L
Premiership Rugby Cup 10P · 7W · 0D · 3L
Challenge Cup 7P · 4W · 1D · 2L
Rob Baxter has overseen 37 completed Exeter Chiefs matches in our database since September 2025 — 23 won, 2 drawn, 12 lost. That is a 62.2% win rate, with 1073 points scored and 836 conceded.
Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.
Latest Exeter Chiefs news
All news →
Coaching career
- 2009- Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby
Honours
- 2020 European Rugby Champions Cup (Exeter Chiefs)
- 2020 Premiership title (Exeter Chiefs)
- 2017 Premiership title (Exeter Chiefs)
- 2014 Anglo-Welsh Cup (Exeter Chiefs)
- 2010 RFU Championship promotion (Exeter Chiefs)
Players under Rob Baxter
Full squad →About Rob Baxter
Rob Baxter is Director of Rugby at Exeter Chiefs and the longest-serving coach in the Premiership, having led the club since 2009. He signed a further contract extension in April 2026.
Born in Tavistock in March 1971, he was a one-club man — a lock who joined Exeter in 1987 and made more than 300 appearances across sixteen years, captaining the side for roughly a decade. He was never capped by England.
Second tier to double winners
He became forwards coach in 2006, took over as acting head coach in March 2009 and was confirmed permanently that May. He won promotion to the Premiership through the Championship play-off in 2010, and a decade later delivered the double — the 2020 Premiership and Champions Cup in the same season. He was awarded an OBE in the 2021 New Year Honours.
The rebuild
Exeter dismantled his long-standing coaching team in 2025, and Baxter returned to front-line coaching himself. The response was a young side that reached the 2026 Premiership final, losing 26–17 to Northampton.
Style
Forwards-dominant, set-piece and maul-based, with famously consistent selection and one of the strongest academy-to-first-team pathways in England. Exeter’s rise from the Championship to European champions is among the most remarkable club stories in the professional era.
Frequently asked
Who is the director of rugby of Exeter Chiefs?
Rob Baxter is the director of rugby of Exeter Chiefs.
When did Rob Baxter take charge?
Rob Baxter took over at Exeter Chiefs in May 2009, around 17 years ago.
What is Rob Baxter's record?
From 37 matches in our database: 23 wins, 2 draws and 12 defeats — a 62.2% win rate.
What nationality is Rob Baxter?
Rob Baxter is English.
How old is Rob Baxter?
Rob Baxter is 55 years old.
What has Rob Baxter won?
Honours include: European Rugby Champions Cup (Exeter Chiefs) (2020), Premiership title (Exeter Chiefs) (2020), Premiership title (Exeter Chiefs) (2017), Anglo-Welsh Cup (Exeter Chiefs) (2014), RFU Championship promotion (Exeter Chiefs) (2010).
