Jonny Gray can use Exeter move as springboard to Lions selection - Rob Baxter

Jonny Gray can use his move to Exeter as a springboard to British and Irish Lions selection, according to Chiefs boss Rob Baxter.

Jonny Gray will move to Exeter in the summer. Picture: SNS

The Glasgow Warriors second-row forward has agreed a deal to join the English Premiership club at the end of the season.

Baxter believes playing in that league could give Gray more of a chance of selection for the Lions' tour of South Africa in 2021.

The lock was overlooked for selection for the last Lions tour, to New Zealand in 2017.

"One of the reasons he's committed to us is he really wants to put himself in the shop window for further international selection and potentially the Lions," Baxter said.

"We've got to help him develop those parts of his game that will potentially allow him to really feature there.

"One of those is he plays on a regular basis against front-line international locks and back-five forwards.

"The best thing about him playing in the Premiership is he can go from one week playing against Maro Itoje and George Kruis, the next week he could be playing against Courtney Lawes and the following week he could be playing against Joe Launchbury.

"That's how it can go and those are some of the things that can really help you develop and can really put you out there as an absolute front-line back-five forward."

Glasgow and Exeter will play each other in the European Champions Cup at Scotstoun on Saturday.