Josh Hodge: Exeter full-back ready to fill Stuart Hogg void
- Published
Josh Hodge was on the scoresheet in Exeter's Premiership Rugby Cup defeat by Bath last week
Exeter full-back Josh Hodge says he is ready to step up and fill the void left by Stuart Hogg.
Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Hogg retired in the summer, leaving a pathway for Hodge - who deputised for him last season.
"I've learned off great players but I feel that now I've learned all that I need to put it into my game," Hodge, 23, told BBC Sport.
"It's a really exciting time for me and we'll see where it goes."
Hodge started 15 games in all competitions for Exeter last season, scoring four tries, and impressed with his dynamic attacking running.
Hogg, along with the likes of Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds, Dave Ewers and Luke Cowan-Dickie, led an exodus of experience from Sandy Park last season as a cut in the salary cap and the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Exeter squad.
"Stuart Hogg is a great mentor, he's taught me a lot, as has the likes of Jack Nowell," added Hodge.
Stuart Hogg's career came to an end after Exeter's European Champions Cup semi-final defeat at La Rochelle in April
"Both are really good players and it's been a privilege to step into that 15 jersey this year.
"We miss those boys, but they've earned the right to go wherever they've gone," he added.
"But there's lots of young boys who are full of energy and always want to impress, and they're always here to get better as a team and as an individual, so it's really positive."
And despite the exodus of experience over the summer Hodge feels Exeter's new younger squad can use their youth as a positive.
"Experience is obviously massive in rugby, but when you've got ambition and energy from a young group we're going to be pushing to get as many points out of each game as possible.
"We're never going to look too far ahead of each game, always eyes set on the next game and we'll throw everything at it and with the tight bond that we've got we'll hopefully come out with points.
"A lot of our squad are young and it's an opportunity for them to adapt and get better as a player, and when you want to get better as an individual it enhances the team's performance and everything that comes with it."