Simmo’s injury is not so bad for Chiefs

EXETER Chiefs have been handed an injury boost with news Joe Simmond’s ankle injury is not significant.

The Chiefs captain injured his ankle when he twisted on it last weekend while taking a double tackle from Bristol Bears’ forward duo Steven Luatua and Nathan Hughes’ during Exeter’s 20-7 Premiership defeat.

The fly-half, who is one of the key play makers in Exeter’s double winning side, received lengthy treatment on the field and then played on with his ankle heavily strapped outside of the boot. He was replaced in the 74th minute.

However Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter revealed that with a two week break in the season, Simmonds should be close to a return to action by the time rugby resumes when Exeter head to Worcester on January 30.

Baxter revealed Joe Simmonds is expected to be out for three to four weeks.

He said: “He has picked up a little bit of an ankle ligament injury.

“The first prognosis is pretty good and with this break now dropping in as it is, he is not going to be far off playing by the time we resume so I guess that is a positive from the situation we are in.

“We feel we have been very lucky, Joe feels he has been really lucky, not to pick up anything too serious there.”

With club legend Gareth Steenson retiring at the end of the 2019/20 season, Chiefs find themselves a little short of options at fly-half should Simmonds be unavailable.

For the closing moments of the game against Bristol on Saturday, centre Henry Slade - a number 10 in his youth - moved into the role but he will almost certainly be away with England throughout the Six Nations which runs concurrently with the Gallagher Premiership this season.

Other than that Baxter has the largely untested Jack Walsh, 21, and Harvey Skinner, 23, in his squad.