Baxter voted rugby writers’ top personality after Exeter double

Baxter, the Exeter director of rugby, has been voted the Rugby Union Writers’ Club personality of the year for 2020.

Baxter succeeds South Africa’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi as holder of the Pat Marshall Memorial Award after masterminding the Chiefs’ Gallagher Premiership and European Champions Cup double last season.

The 49-year-old Devonian guided Exeter into the English top flight in 2010 and their progress culminated in the victories in finals over Racing 92 and Wasps on successive weekends in October.

Baxter follows in the footsteps of previous greats to have been acclaimed by the RUWC such as Gareth Edwards, Jonah Lomu, Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jonny Wilkinson and Dan Carter. He said: “I feel in exalted company.”

The list of nominees in contention for 2020 also included referee centurion Nigel Owens, Pacific Islands rugby campaigner Dan Leo, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and France scrum-half Antoine Dupont.

Baxter said: “I’m the guy lucky enough to pick up a very prestigious award for the hard work of a lot of people at Exeter.”