Steve Jones leaves capital side to join Exeter

SCOTLAND A full-back Steve Jones has quit Edinburgh just eight months after joining them from Guinness Premiership club Newcastle.

Jones, 27, is to link up with English Championship side Exeter following a season when he has had limited first-team opportunities at Murrayfield. He signed a two-year deal with Edinburgh, but will now head south and become part of an Exeter squad pushing for Premiership status.

Exeter head coach Rob Baxter said: "Steve is a player that I spent a lot of time tracking at the end of last season. We had a meeting at Sandy Park, but ultimately Steve decided to move from Newcastle to Edinburgh in the hope of furthering his ambitions to play for Scotland, as at the time Steve had just returned from a successful tour with Scotland A.

"It was understandable that he should make the decision to try and push on to the next level with Scotland. Unfortunately for Steve, he has found himself behind Chris Paterson and so has had limited opportunities to play. I felt last year that Steve would be a good fit with the Chiefs, and so when I became aware he may be looking for a move from Edinburgh, I followed it up straight away.

"Steve has been prepared to walk away from a two-year contract at Edinburgh to prove he should be playing regular, high level rugby. From a coaching point of view, it's great to see a player prepared to back himself to such an extent."