Aviva Premiership
Exeter Chiefs sign St Helens star Josh Jones
ESPN Staff
June 17, 2015
Josh Jones
Josh Jones© (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)

Exeter Chiefs coach Rob Baxter hailed new signing Josh Jones as the St Helens rugby league man switched codes, signing a two-year deal with the Devon club.

The 22-year-old utility player has made 64 appearances for Saints since making his debut in 2012, playing variously as a centre, second-row and loose forward.

Jones was a member of the St Helens side that beat Wigan in last year's Super League grand final but having played union at school he was keen to taste life in the other code.

He will join up with his new team-mates in November.

"It became known to us that Josh was one of those guys who was interested in playing rugby union, so we kept an eye on the situation," Baxter said.

"He is very driven by what he wants to achieve in league and union. Just seeing how driven and ambitious he was about succeeding in union was impressive - sometimes those meetings can almost be the deciding factor.

"When you see someone's personal qualities is a big thing for me."

However, Baxter conceded it could take a while for Jones to adapt to his new surroundings.

He added: "We are aware that the switchover from league to union isn't going to be straightforward.

"He has taken a chance moving to union because he has a well-established league career. He knows there will be a bit of transition time and he'll probably have a period on loan somewhere, but he is very open to those ideas."

Jones said: ""I can't explain how excited I am about the move.

"It's a new challenge for me and my family, but it's one that we're all really looking forward to.

"Exeter are a great club, they've just come off the back of a fantastic season, and having watched them a few times on the TV, I like the style of rugby they play and the way they go about things.

"Hopefully I can go down there, add a bit to the squad using my experience from playing Super League and look to make my mark as quickly as possible."

© ESPN Staff

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