Exeter Chiefs Academy product Josh Caulfield is to leave the club at the end of his current contract and sign for RFU Championship outfit, the Cornish Pirates.
The 22-year-old has spent the past four seasons on dual-registered terms with the Pirates, but has now made the move to the Mennaye permanent, agreeing a two-year deal.
A former England Under-20s international, Taunton-born Caulfield came through the Chiefs Academy, initially starting out under the guidance of Rob Gibson at Bicton College. He was also sent out to hometown club Taunton Titans to glean some much-needed experience at senior level in the National Leagues.
🏉 – Young @ExeterChiefs forward @caulfield_josh to leave the club at end of current contract and sign full-time for the @CornishPirates1 ⬇️https://t.co/tyBgCF2uoJ pic.twitter.com/esJiVc7ynU
— Exeter Chiefs at 🏡 (@ExeterChiefs) May 14, 2020
Sadly, a succession of injuries curtailed his development for at least a year before he worked his back to full fitness at the start of 2016/17. It was then that he was first dual registered with the Pirates, an opportunity for him to gain experience at a higher level.
He quickly made an impression and featured in 15 matches, whilst he also made his senior Chiefs debut in the Anglo-Welsh Cup win against the Cardiff Blues in November 2016.
Caulfield played for England Under-20s in the 2017 Junior World Championships and was also also part of their Six Nations winning squad.
He has made nine appearances in total for the Chiefs first team, including featuring twice this season in the Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures against Bath and Leicester Tigers.
Commenting on the the move, Pirates joint Head Coach Alan Paver, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Josh has now signed for us full time. For such a young man he already has considerable experience behind him and has always been a terrific and fully committed performer.
“A popular member of our squad, he also, importantly, knows fully what we are about and aware of our goals is someone who can help us reach them.”
These are the worst EVER signings by every Gallagher Premiership club
Here are THE WORST ever buys by current Gallagher Premiership clubs. Just don’t think about how much they cost…
Bath Rugby: Sam Burgess
What a corker to start off with. The rugby league superstar was signed for Bath Rugby on huge money, joining in October 2014.
His inclusion and performances at the Rugby World Cup were widely scrutinized, and seen by some pundits as partly to blame for England’s “humiliating” early pool stage exit from the tournament—the worst result for a host nation in the tournament’s history.
And following the disastrous campaign, Burgess quit rugby union after just 12 months, opting to return to South Sydney Rabbitohs, signing a three-year contract.
An absolute flop.
Bristol Bears: Tyrese Johnson-Fisher – Bristol Bears
More disappointing than bad.
The speedster, who went viral as a youngster for his four tries at Twickenham in the NatWest Schools Cup, joined Bristol last summer but left the Premiership side with immediate effect in February.
He’s since revealed he’s taken the decision to pursue other opportunities outside of professional rugby.
Exeter Chiefs: Nemani Nadolo
Signed for the club 11th Jan 2011 but was registered under his Aussie passport and therefore cost the club 2 points and £5000 for fielding too many overseas players.
He was then convicted of drink driving, banned from the road for 18 months, and released by the club in May 2011.
He failed to score a single try in his four appearances for the Chiefs. His career has done nothing but rise ever since so that’s nice.
