Nick Lilley

A product of the Exeter Chiefs academy, Nick Lilley is a forward whose game is built on physicality and reliability at the set piece. Born on 21 March 2006, the England-qualified player has progressed steadily through the club's development pathway, earning a reputation as a hard-carrying option who relishes the contact area. Lilley's robust style and dependability in the tight five saw him rewarded with selection for England at B level in 2024, an early marker of his potential at a higher standard. Within the Chiefs' pack he offers genuine ballast, contributing the unglamorous but essential work that underpins a functioning forward unit — securing possession, adding weight at the breakdown and providing a stable platform from the lineout and scrum. Still in the early stages of his senior development, Lilley represents the kind of homegrown forward Exeter have long prized: durable, willing and capable of growing into a significant role. His trajectory suggests a player intent on cementing himself as a fixture in the engine room.