ROB Baxter has confirmed that long-serving Exeter Chiefs hooker Jack Yeandle is on the verge of penning a new deal with the Gallagher Premiership club.

With his current contract set to run out at the end of the current season, the 35-year-old is poised to extend his stay at Sandy Park into a 14th season.

Yeandle joined the Chiefs back in 2012 from Doncaster Knights and has since gone on to play 304 games for the club, scoring 33 tries in the process.

He has also skippered the club to two Premiership Rugby titles, as well as the European Champions Cup.

“He’s very good culturally in and around the club, as well as still playing very well,” said Baxter. “He’s almost thriving in a role of just trying to keep people on course and on track and helping other people play well and focus.

“The good thing is I know he's very driven to carry on training and playing at the highest level.”

Baxter says he has discussed a move into coaching with Yeandle, but that the forward is keen at this stage of his career to "focus on playing and being a competitive member of the squad".

With Jack Innard moving to Gloucester and Dan Frost off to Bath, Yeandle will be the only hooker with substantial Premiership experience at Exeter next season.

The club has moved to bring in South African Joseph Dweba and Australian Julian Heaven, while academy products Max Norey and Louie Gulley will also push for game time.

“When you look at that group you can see we’ve got what we really need to be a frontline competitive team in that position,” added the Chiefs’ Director of Rugby. “We’ve got to try and get to that kind of a depth chart in as many positions as we can.”

Baxter confirmed that contract talks are still ongoing with two more stalwarts of the club, Stu Townsend and Olly Woodburn.