Exeter Chiefs' failed last minute bid for Champions Cup winner

Exeter Chiefs have failed in a last-minute bid to lure Toulouse inside centre Santiago Chocobares to Sandy Park, with the Pumas midfield opting to stay put.

Chocobares, 25, who has played 27 times for Argentina, scoring one try, wouldn’t have come cheap, however, after helping powerhouse Toulouse win the Top 14 and European Cup double last season.

He came off the bench in the Investec Champions Cup final win over Leinster and started the Top 14 final win over Bordeaux a year after scoring a try in their triumph over Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.

Chocobares, who can also play outside centre, has made 45 appearances for Toulouse, scoring ten tries. He would have cost the Chiefs as much as £450k a year in wages, according to some RugbyPass sources in France.

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But the Chiefs, who have struggled this season, can afford to be more robust in the transfer market after slashing a massive £2.7m from their wage bill in the last financial year.

A pre-tax loss of £419k in the last financial year, down from £4.5m, will allow Baxter to throw off the financial shackles that have seen a series of big-name players leave the club in the last two or three years.

He was a member of the Argentina side that were defeated by the All Blacks in the 2023 World Cup semi-final three years after making his Test debut in the Puma’s first-ever win over the same opposition.

Chocobares started his career at Duendes Rugby Club in the Unión de Rugby de Rosario before joining Super Rugby outfit the Jaguares, moving to Toulouse four years ago on an initial two-year deal, which was extended in 2023.

Bringing him to Devon would have allowed the Chiefs to continue to play Henry Slade at fly-half, where they have deployed him in the six games he has played for them this season despite wearing the 12 shirt on international duty. Baxter and co will have to make other plans.

Updated: 30th January, 2025