Rigg's cricket heartache turns to Premiership passion

Will Rigg has played seven times for Exeter since moving to the club in February

"Cricket was always the one I was trying to pursue, but it got to the point when I was 18 or 19, I just wasn't good enough really - it's as simple as that."

Will Rigg has had a roundabout route into Exeter's first team spanning two sports, two hemispheres and top leagues.

The 24-year-old centre has scored four tries in his last three matches for the Chiefs having moved to the Premiership side from Championship club Coventry in February.

But Rigg's journey to the Sandy Park turf was far from typical having had dreams of being a cricketer after being involved with Warwickshire's academy until he was 19.

"I didn't really have an aim of trying to make it as a rugby player as such, I just got stuck in playing down at uni," says Rigg, who spent time in Australia trying to improve his skills as batsman before returning to the UK and going on to study at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

"It was always good fun and then it just went from there really.

"Cricket was always my number one growing up but its funny, it's worked out the other way now."

Rigg got onto his university team in his first year and by the end of his time at the club was playing in the highly-regarded BUCS Super Rugby championship.

He joined Coventry and impressed enough in the second tier for Exeter to sign him up where he trains alongside England's Henry Slade and former Wales centre Joe Hawkins.

"You see a lot of players like myself who are coming up through the Championship and then get the opportunities in the Premiership," he tells BBC Sport.

"I know when I was at Coventry we competed with some good teams in the Prem Cup, so from my point of view I don't think it's as big as people necessarily perceive it to be.

"Playing with Sladey has been great, he's got some great experience and knowledge and he's really supportive of all the boys, which is which is great as well.

"It was a bit of an eye opener when I first came in, but from then it's just been more about trying to enjoy every moment and just try and learn from them as much as possible."

Will Rigg's first try came against Harlequins in the Premiership last month

Rigg's Exeter debut came as a replacement away at Newcastle in March, with his first start coming a week later at Sale where he lined up against the likes of Manu Tuilagi, Rob du Preez and George Ford.

His first start this season came against Harlequins, where he also scored his first top-flight try, before touching down three times in Exeter's subsequent two Premiership Cup matches.

"I think his ball carrying is improving all the time and you're seeing that at this level where in those Prem Cup games he looks a very dangerous ball carrier," Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter told BBC Sport.

"What we've got to try and do is almost kind of keep that confidence to get on the ball and carry hard and find that space and attack the space.

"We've adapted our defensive system a bit, everyone has seen that, and I think that will suit him a little bit more and give him a little bit more time to assess what his defensive responsibilities are.

"But certainly in the last few weeks he's really starting to take off."

So what are the ambitions for a player that has two internationals as well as fit-again New Zealander Tamati Tua and a number of other young players fighting for two places in Exeter's midfield?

"It's just about grabbing opportunities," he says.

"Try and grab as many opportunities as I can and keep banging the door down in Rob's office and say 'I want to start as many games as possible'.

"Just try and get as much experience, try make as much of an impact on the game as possible and try and help the team as much I can.

"When everyone's fit it's going to be tough, we've got some great great centres at this club, so it's all about building your own profile as much as you can and then hopefully when that opportunity comes you've got to try and grab it."