Salvi takes on coaching role at Chiefs

JULIAN Salvi is relishing being in the vanguard of Exeter’s bid to reclaim their Premiership crown after accepting a role to become the club’s defence coach.

Breakdown specialist Salvi, 32, will call time on a glittering playing career this week after turning down a variety of playing offers to remain at Sandy Park.

Former Wallaby Salvi, who joined Bath from the Brumbies in 2009 before winning Premiership titles with Leicester and Chiefs, assumes the defensive duties from rugby director Rob Baxter.

He told The Rugby Paper: “I still feel good enough to go on but these positions don’t come up often. There were different opportunities but I’ve got a family of three so do you aim for potentially another year or two playing, knowing it will be ‘and then what?’

“I’ve made the decision to pull up stumps a fraction earlier knowing there’s a bit more longevity in what I’m doing. I’m still involved with a great club in a great environment and I’ve now got the chance to cement myself in a different role.”

After coaching part-time at Plymouth for the last two seasons, Salvi added: “As a player my game relied on being a nause at the breakdown and being defensively reliable, so I’ve been passionate about developing my coaching style at Plymouth.

“Those two years have given me a really good grounding of how to coach and communicate with players and I’ll try to bring a bit of that at Chiefs. It’s never going to be an easy transition but I’m looking forward to challenging myself there.” Exeter’s campaign ended in disappointment with defeat to Saracens. However, Salvi said: “It’s never easy to deal with losing a final, but we came back from losing one three years ago to win it the following year and we’ll back ourselves again.”

Chiefs’ possession-based game has attracted some criticism, but Salvi added: “You can’t criticise a team that wants to hold on to the ball and play attacking rugby. That’s what the game’s all about and with the ball you’ll be more of a threat.”