Sunday 10 July 2016 10:03, UK
Exeter have announced new deals for three more key members of their squad, with England Saxons forwards Don Armand, Alec Hepburn and Mitch Lees all agreeing fresh terms with the Aviva Premiership side.
The news follows the recent announcement that England international trio Jack Nowell, Henry Slade and Luke Cowan-Dickie penned new three-year contracts at Sandy Park.
Reflecting on the latest deals, Exeter head coach Rob Baxter said: "These are players we have gone out and looked at and thought very highly of, and have brought them through either from Championship level, or with Don, the level below Super 15, because he hadn't quite broken into that level over there.
"They have added a lot in their short time they have been with us, and we think they are players who are going to play a big, big part in the future of the club going forward.
"Mitch and Don had real stand-out seasons last year and they are starting to show that they could be two of the best back-five forwards in the Premiership, and that was shown by them going on the Saxons tour (to South Africa), while Alec has just been getting better and better in his time with us.
"We made a decision to bring him in early to the club and nurse him through some injury rehab, and I think that was a really good decision.
"It allowed him to put some foundation work in, which allowed him to have a good season last year, and I thought he was absolutely fantastic on the Saxons tour, probably one of the stand-out forwards."
