FINNWORLEY-BRADY

YOUNG GUNS

EXETER CHIEFS BACK ROW

FINN Worley-Brady admits the collapse of London Irish proved a “blessing in disguise” as the Exeter Chiefs back row targets his first Prem start. The 21-year-old had spent around six years in the Irish academy system and was preparing to take the next step into their senior set-up when the club folded in 2023.

Suddenly left searching for somewhere to continue his development, Worley-Brady was given an opportunity in the South West, combining rugby at Exeter University with the chance to progress at Chiefs.

He told The Rugby Paper: “It all happened really quickly. It was pretty tough because my next step would have been moving into the senior academy. Thankfully, I had a lot of help from a few people down here, like Haydn Thomas and Nick Sestaret.

“They did a lot of work to get me into the university and then I managed to pick up a deal down here, which made things a lot easier. I was very fortunate because some other people maybe didn’t manage to find other clubs. I was delighted when I found out I’d be able to come down here, go to university and also play rugby.”

What was initially a major setback has instead opened up opportunities Worley-Brady believes have accelerated his development. He said: “It probably is a bit of a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to play in BUCS Super Rugby, which is really competitive and a good league for players just coming out of school. I developed a lot playing at university and then getting more of an opportunity at Chiefs has allowed me to progress that way as well. I’ve loved every bit of it. I’m grateful it has worked out as well as it has.”

Worley-Brady believes BUCS Super Rugby‘s competitive environment and growing crowds provide an ideal platform for players attempting to break into the professional game. He added: “It was brilliant. We had some great games, especially last season when I was captain. The one away at Bath had a big crowd and you get to play the Varsity at Sandy Park. It’s a great thing for developing new talent and it’s a good shop window for people to look at players who maybe wouldn’t have been picked up elsewhere. It’s a super competitive league.”

Worley-Brady’s own progression accelerated last season when he made his senior Chiefs debut against Sale in the Prem Cup and then featured during Exeter’s run to the final. He said: “It was a massive honour. It gave me a taste of what it’s like playing at that level. The cup campaign gave me confidence that I can play at that level and perform in tougher situations against tougher players. It’s extremely valuable for building confidence and allowing players to take that next step in their rugby development.”

Sale were again the opposition when Worley-Brady achieved another milestone by making his Prem debut off the bench at Sandy Park for the closing stages of a bonus-point victory. “That was a really special day,” he added. “I came on for a minute or two. Just to get on the pitch in front of a big home crowd was special and then we managed to get the win as well.”

BEN JAYCOCK