Exeter Chiefs agree season-long Championship loans for up-and-coming pair

A pair of young Exeter Chiefs players will head out on loan to Championship side Coventry Rugby next season.

Winger Shea Cornish and prop Danny Southworth will join the Coventry squad ahead of the 2022/23 Championship campaign on season-long loans as Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter continues to look for avenues to get his fringe players competitive playing time.

Exeter's relationship with Coventry has grown stronger in recent years with the likes of hooker Jordon Poole and tighthead prop Matt Johnson enjoying successful loans at Butts Park, although Poole left Chiefs this month.

Coventry head coach Alex Rae said: “We’ve got a great relationship with Exeter and we are really pleased that they trust us to develop their up-and-coming players in our environment.”

“Shea is a really exciting winger, James Scaysbrook [Coventry defence coach] coached him previously and only had good things to say, so we’re really excited to see him and get the best out of him.”

Rae added: “Danny is a big ball-carrying prop and the Championship is going to be great for him in terms of set-piece. We look forward to seeing him develop.”

Cornish, 21, was born in Truro and took up rugby with Penzance-Newlyn RFC – starting out in their Under-11s and working his way up to Colts level.

His deceptive footwork, combined with pace and power in attack, brought him to the attentions of the Chiefs, who continued to monitor his progress closely whilst he studied at Truro College.

In 2019, he was one of a number of highly-rated youngsters awarded with a senior academy contract at the club but the 5ft 9in speedster is yet to make his senior debut for the club.

Loosehead prop Southworth, 23, came through the ranks at Barnstaple RFC while linking up with the