“Each time I do put on the jersey it is an honour for me,” says Exeter ahead Dave Ewers.
The 32-year-old back-row is now the second longest-serving participant on the membership and has pulled on the Chiefs shirt 218 occasions since his debut in 2009.
Now the Zimbabwe-born ahead, who got here near an England cap in 2016, is now the older head guiding the likes of Wales starlet Christ Tshiunza and homegrown forwards Richard Capstick and Lewis Pearson as the subsequent technology of Exeter gamers begin to make their approach within the sport.
“It’s fairly scary taking a look at them and the way younger they’re and it feels prefer it was simply yesterday that that was me,” Ewers informed BBC Sport.
“It is very thrilling for the membership and for them with their careers all forward of them.
“They’re already actually good gamers and it is so good to see Christ towards New Zealand on the weekend – clearly it did not go effectively for Wales, however what an expertise it will have been for him and it is definitely going to make him a greater participant being concerned in these large video games for Wales.”
Seen as one of the vital dominant forwards within the Premiership, it’s no shock that Exeter are inclined to win greater than they lose with Ewers within the facet.
He has been there for many of Exeter’s huge moments – he has performed in 4 of their six Premiership finals and began in each showpiece events because the Chiefs accomplished a home and European double in 2020.
“I used to be very lucky, I had the likes of Richie Baxter, James Scaysbrook and Tom Johnson who have been all beginning forward of me within the again row on the time,” Ewers recollects of the skilled heads he seemed as much as as a younger participant.
“They have been all skilled within the Premiership and through the years for Chiefs, and I used to be very lucky to return by way of on the time I did with all of them.
“They have been at all times there to speak to, so hopefully I can do the identical factor now I am attending to that age.”
Ewers first performed in a serious remaining in 2012 when dual-registered with Cornish Pirates – having knocked out favourites Bristol over two legs the Pirates have been overwhelmed by London Welsh on mixture within the remaining because the Exiles received promotion to the Premiership.
He has additionally seen heartache in a Chiefs shirt – a critical knee damage in 2017 noticed him miss the membership’s first Premiership remaining victory and presumably value him an England place, whereas he missed the 2021 Premiership remaining after being suspended.
However he says these experiences are what push him to relish each second at Sandy Park.
“Going again to these years the place I used to be injured for a very long time, I feel it is vital for me to take these classes and bear in mind how arduous it was simply watching the entire time and the way a lot I missed it,” he says.
“It was a tricky time, that damage alone was fairly dangerous, however what made it worse was it was off the again of three different knee accidents too and it began including up a little bit bit.
“I have been very lucky when it comes to the assist and the belief that is been given to me by each Robs [director of rugby Rob Baxter and forwards coach Rob Hunter] and all of the assist workers right here on the membership.
“It does carry you again all the way down to earth a bit, accidents, however I have been lucky now to have a run of video games final yr and hopefully it may be the identical this yr.”
