Baxter praises ‘improving’ James as Chiefs’ star matures

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of 21-year-old Welsh back-rower Kane James, noting the young forward’s impressive maturation since joining the club.

James, who relocated to Devon from England’s youth setup in the summer of 2023 after switching his international allegiance to Wales, earned his first senior cap in July during a Nations Championship defeat in Argentina. He has since broken into the first-team squad, starting both of Exeter’s Premiership matches so far this campaign.

“He’s just following that really nice route where he’s improving at a nice rate, he’s having some good impact on games,” Baxter said. “Kane can be really pleased with the trajectory his game is going in at the minute.”

Baxter also highlighted James’ physical development, crediting the player’s diligence in training and nutrition. The former England Under-20 international has added significant bulk to his frame, a trait Baxter believes will continue to develop.

“He’s getting thicker, that will happen with quality training, making sure he gets his nutrition and all this kind of stuff,” Baxter explained. “He’s such a diligent guy he is going to maximise his strength and his growth, but he is going to get bigger for quite some time, I would say with Kane.”

This added strength has allowed James, who is described as both explosive and quick, to handle contact more effectively. However, Baxter noted that accuracy in tackling remains an area for refinement, alongside James’ natural enthusiasm to commit to the breakdown.

While James has primarily featured at number eight in the past, he has started this season’s opening two league games at open-side flanker. Baxter clarified that this positional shift is not a permanent redefinition of the player, but rather a tactical decision to field the strongest scrum combination available amidst injuries in the forward pack.

“We’ve been a bit challenged in the back five of the scrum, so what we’ve been doing is selecting the best three to start the game and then putting them in the best combo onto the scrum as they are,” Baxter said. “Where they really play around the field is a little bit irrelevant to the number on their back really, they’re scrummaging that way because that suits the strengths of each of them individually.”

Baxter insisted that James retains his hybrid capabilities, utilizing his ball-carrying skills and line-out presence in roles typical of a number eight, and confirmed the club would not hesitate to return him to the No. 8 jersey when rotation or fitness permits.