Tshiunza challenged to seal place in Exeter side

Christ Tshiunza started both of Wales' Tests against Australia in July

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has challenged Wales forward Christ Tshiunza to "make one spot his own" in the Premiership side.

The 22-year-old missed a large chunk of last season with injury but had been playing as a flanker for the Sandy Park club.

But Baxter said he was impressed with how Tshiunza played for Wales at lock in their summer tour to Australia.

"It's really for Christ now to probably grab a spot of his own and make one spot his own," Baxter told BBC Sport.

"That's always the challenge for every player in every team is you've got to find where you fit at the best and where you can command your spot.

"Here and now what Christ's got to do is concentrate on pinning down one spot and his definite role within a team as a ball-winner, and physical guy in the clear-out, physical guy in defence with good line speed and good set-piece.

"He can really accelerate over the next 12 months."

Tshiunza played eight times for Exeter last season, starting only three times in all competitions after breaking his foot shortly after returning from World Cup duty.

Having burst on to the scene as a 19-year-old when he won his first Wales cap in November 2021, a hamstring injury curtailed his season a few months later.

However, a full campaign in the 2022-23 season led to him returning to the Wales squad for the World Cup before last season was disrupted.

"It was really great to see him playing so well in the second row for Wales, I was really impressed with his tour, I thought actually they were some of the best games I've seen him play for Wales," Baxter added.

"Christ is very much one of those players who's still on the up, and we will involve him probably across the back five, but certainly in the second row it looks like a really good position for him.

"It's a big season for him and an important season for him, but it is for a lot of our guys, they're gaining experience all the time."