Jimmy Roots: Exeter to sign brother of England forward Ethan

Exeter are to sign Ealing prop Jimmy Roots in the summer.

Roots played for North Harbour in the New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship before joining English Championship side Ealing in 2021.

“He looks like a guy with huge potential and a passion for the sport,” Exeter boss Rob Baxter said.

“He’s got a lot of things to work on, he’s a young tight-head prop, but when I watch him play he likes to play rugby, he likes to run into people in attack and defence.

“Sometimes it can be that simple, guys who just want to get out and play rugby and run around and get on with things, that often can be your big quality, that can be your defining quality to becoming a good player.

“At the end of the day what you have to do is get on a training field and train hard and then you have to go on a rugby field and play hard and I think that’s what Jimmy will do.”