Bidding heats up for lock-sized dual-qualified centre Zack Wimbush

Exeter Chiefs are battling to keep hold of highly-rated centre Zack Wimbush, who is the subject of a tug-of-war between Wales boss Warren Gatland and his England counterpart Steve Borthwick.

RugbyPass exclusively reported on Tuesday that battle lines on either side of the Severn Bridge and the race to lure Hong Kong-born Wimbush intensifies with Gatland keen to fast-track him into his set-up this autumn.

The outside centre – who stands 6’6 “and weighs 118kg – made 16 appearances in all competitions for the Chiefs last season and has also featured for the Chiefs in their pre-season campaign.

WATCH: Chasing the Sun Season 2 Trailer | RPTV

Video Player is loading.

Play Video

PlaySkip BackwardSkip Forward

Unmute

Current Time 0:00

/

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0%

Stream Type LIVE

Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE

Remaining Time -0:00

 

1x

Playback Rate

Chapters

• Chapters

Descriptions

• descriptions off, selected

Captions

• captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
• captions off, selected

Audio Track

Fullscreen

This is a modal window.

Playback Denied: Unavailable

Error Code: VIDEO_CLOUD_ERR_VIDEO_NOT_PLAYABLE

Technical details :

Video is not currently available for playback.

Session ID: 2025-11-13:9d3e39cb4f31ecf26df2dd7f Player Element ID: brightcove-embedded-video

OK

Close Modal Dialog

Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

Text

ColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-Transparent

Text Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparent

Caption Area Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque

Font Size

50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%

Text Edge Style

NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop shadow

Font Family

Proportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps

ResetDone

Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

WATCH: Chasing the Sun Season 2 Trailer | RPTV

The brilliant Chasing the Sun 2, charting the inspiring story of the Springboks at Rugby World Cup 2023, can be watched on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

He started the 14-10 defeat to the Ospreys last weekend but missed out as the Devon outfit rounded off their build-up to the new season with a 31-15 victory over Ulster at Sandy Park on Saturday afternoon.

Wimbush, whose parents are both PE teachers and who has a Welsh grandfather, is a target for the Dragons and Cardiff, both of whom are keen to meet with him to make their case for him to join them.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Exeter Chiefs

14 - 17

Full-time

Leicester

All Stats and Data

We understand that there is nothing in links to the Scarlets, but Exeter will be worried that they could be about to lose one of their young prized assets, and there is very little that they can do about it.

Wimbush, who made his Premiership Cup debut against Bath in November 2022, was educated at Mount Kelly School, Tavistock, before going to Exeter College and then Exeter University.

Many observers in the game have tipped him as a future world star, and he is understood to be on an academy deal, which typically pays somewhere in the region of between £30,000 and £40,000.

The 20-year-old could be snapped by either of the Welsh regions that are keen for a meeting for a training compensation fee, which is calculated on a pro-rata basis.