Sam Skinner: Leaving Exeter Chiefs 'wasn't easy', says Edinburgh-bound forward
- Published
Sam Skinner featured in all five of Scotland's Six Nations games, starting against Italy, France and Wales
Scotland forward Sam Skinner says it was a difficult decision to leave hometown club Exeter for Edinburgh.
The 27-year-old has been at Sandy Park since he was a teenager, helping the Chiefs win two Premiership titles and the 2020 Champions Cup.
He made his Scotland debut in 2018 and has gone on to win 15 caps.
"There were lots of factors and it wasn't an easy decision. But for me the pros just tipped the balance from the cons," Skinner told BBC Sport.
"There's going to be lots of challenges going to play for Edinburgh and earning my spot there, but I'm ready for that growth and that challenge, and to develop really. I think it's the right time for me.
"I can't wait for that chapter, it's going to be hugely exciting for me, there's going to be challenges, but I'm ready for the challenge."
Skinner watched Exeter as a boy before getting the chance to join the club having played youth rugby with nearby Taunton.
This season the fourth-placed Chiefs have stuttered and are likely to finish outside of the top two for the first time since 2015.
And with Gloucester and Northampton having games in hand in the race for the top four and a play-off place, Skinner says he will put everything he has into making his final season at Sandy Park a memorable one.
"This is the last segment, as it were, with the Chiefs, it's starting to hit home a little bit," he said.
"It's really sad, but also I've got a really exciting chapter coming up around the corner.
"For me, it just brings even more energy than I already normally have to play as much and as well as I can for Exeter and try to achieve something special this year with a great group of guys.
"We've got four Premiership games left, and normally you'd say we've got maybe five or six because of the semi-final and final, but if we don't get it right we only have four games.
"I've got to make the most of every second and every day here because we've got an incredible environment and I'm extremely fortunate to be part of it."