Richard Baxter to hang up the boots

Richard Baxter has decided to hang up his boots at the end of the season.
The long-serving No.8, 34, who has helped the Exeter reach the Premiership in his 17-year career, is poised to make his 431st outing for the Devon club against Gloucester on Saturday,
He made his debut away to Fylde on October 11, 1997 and has grown to become one of the true greats of the club.
Baxter said: “It has been an incredible journey. When I first started playing I never thought I would stay with the club for this long, so for to me finish with Exeter being a Premiership club – and having been on that journey with them is just fantastic.
“However, it just feels the right time for me to move on to other things. Not many sportsmen get the chance for it to be their decision, either through loss of form, injuries or a club not wanting you, so it’s just feels the right time.”
Chiefs’ head-coach Rob Baxter was quick to praise his brother, he said: “From my personal perspective, we’ve been on a fantastic rugby adventure together.
“Richie has been a key part of that all along. I remember talking to him after we won promotion to the Championship at Reading (in 1997). He’d been involved in the club at junior and colts level and started to play a bit of senior rugby that season. He was there watching that promotion game and pretty much ever since then he’s been there or thereabouts in the first team.
“It’s been an incredible story, the amount of good rugby he’s played and he’s played all his rugby at Exeter when we’ve been playing at our highest level, either through the Championship, Premiership or Heineken Cup.
“The longevity of what he’s done has been fantastic, the loyalty he’s shown has been fantastic, but I just think it’s fantastic that someone like that had the opportunity to play for Exeter in the Premiership and Heineken Cup because no one’s deserved it more.
“He’s been a huge part of how the club got to where it is now and it’s going to feel a bit strange for me personally after Saturday not having him around.”