Yeandle still going strong at the Chiefs

Born in the Devon city back in 1989, the hooker spent his informative years enjoying his rugby at nearby Crediton, after which he studies took him to University in Wales and then into the professional game for the first time with Doncaster Knights in 2011.

His on-field talents, however, had been spotted by Rob Baxter and a year later he was ‘heading home’ to begin life with the ever-improving Chiefs in English rugby’s top-flight.

With competition for the No.2 jersey a competitive affair at the time, Yeandle was loaned out to the Cornish Pirates, where he joined the likes of Dave Ewers, Sam Hill and Jack Nowell in gleaning some much-needed match minutes.

By January of the next year, though, Yeandle was summoned back to Sandy Park and thrust straight into a baptism of fire, which included coming off the bench against a star-studded Clermont-Auvergne side.

Inspired by Morgan Parra, the Frenchmen triumphed 46-3 that night - a humbling experience for your first outing in the Heineken Cup.

From that point, Yeandle has not looked back and has helped forged the cornerstone to the renowned Chiefs pack now for over 13 years. Trophies, including two Premiership titles and a Champions Cup crown, are the obvious highlights, but so too are many of the experiences and friendships he has made during that same period.

“Some will say rugby is my job, which it is, but in reality it’s not a job because I genuinely have so much fun each day,” said Yeandle. “I go back to when I was younger and working for my dad - and I was thinking this summer is going to be brilliant because he’s going to let me do more things and drive the truck. In reality, he never ever let me do any decent driving or stuff like that because, in hindsight, he just wanted me to focus on my rugby.

“He would always have me do the manual grafting jobs, so I know what it’s like to do what you call a regular job, but it kind of prepared me in other ways which have benefitted my rugby career. Take for example, we get flogged in pre-season every year, we go to the Royal Marines base and they just beast us, but it’s still fun.

“It’s still being in that group environment, still working with your mates, but at the end of it you get to socialise with them all over a few beers. For me, it’s more fun compared to the manual graft you could be doing elsewhere.”

‍

Sadly, Yeandle’s father Stephen passed away earlier this year, leaving a massive void not only in the hearts and minds of the family, but also the family business which Yeandle himself has been keen to pick up in his absence.

“It’s been a tough time for all of us, but I’ve been very fortunate in a way that I’ve got Donna and Dan running the business, they were completely trusted by Dad, so naturally they completely get my job and the demands it has on me,” explained Yeandle. “They are worth their weight in gold and they want to keep the business going because they’ve been part of it, they appreciate Dad and what he did for them, so I’m just try to get out as much as I can and learn bits and pieces.”

For now, Yeandle’s pressing attentions are on the new season and helping the Chiefs challenge for honours on all fronts.

“Pre-season has been good,” said the Chiefs club captain, who is also celebrating his testimonial year this season. “We’re only a week or so away from the first game, so training’s start to get very competitive and things are really ramping up.”

Indeed, having seen many of his former team-mates depart for pastures new ahead of last season, the Chiefs have re-emerged for their latest campaign with a settled group, many of whom are no longer the surprise package that they were this time last year.

“People were shocked how we started last season, but ask anyone inside the club and we knew we had the players to stand up and challenge,” said Yeandle. “Yes, boys had moved on, but with them departing it created opportunities for others. Guys like Manny [Feyi-Waboso], Ross Vintcent, Lewis Pearson to name just a few, they really stepped up.

“We had a really good pre-season, using the Premiership Cup to get things in place, so by the time we played Saracens and Sale in those first few games, we were flying at that point. After that, we just carried on the campaign doing what we do and it was big learning curve for a lot of those young guys.

“Now, they are coming in with a full season behind them and ready to go again.  It’s kind of reminiscent of the team last 10 or so years ago when we had a group of tightly knit young players coming through, who then went on to achieve some incredible things.

“That’s the aim for this group, myself included, so we’ll be doing everything we can to achieve that.”

‍