Exeter boss Baxter wary of Club World Cup

Baxter made the point that the Exeter and other teams already have to shell out tens of thousands of pounds when they travel away in the Champions Cup

Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter before the Gallagher Premiership match at Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle upon Tyne. Picture date: Sunday November 26, 2023.

The wisdom of introducing a Club World Cup from 2028 has been questioned by Exeter’s director of rugby, Rob Baxter, who believes the new competition would need to stack up financially from the start. Baxter, whose side face Toulouse in the Champions Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, says clubs will want to receive guarantees rather than alluring promises of jam tomorrow.

Baxter is not alone in awaiting further details of the package on offer following news this week that preliminary agreement has been reached at board level for the eight Champions Cup quarter-finalists to meet the top six teams from Super Rugby and, potentially, two Japanese sides in a four-week tournament in June every four years.