Exeter Chiefs duo Richard Capstick and Stu Townsend set for spell on the sidelines

Exeter Chiefs duo Richard Capstick and Stu Townsend are set for spell on the sidelines after both underwent surgery on shoulder injuries this week.

Back-row forward Capstick sustained his injury in training recently, whilst Townsend has not been seen since being forced off in the Gallagher Premiership clash away to Sale Sharks a month ago.

The loss of both players is an untimely blow for Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, who is already without nine players called up for Autumn Nations Test action, as well as others on the walking wounded list.

At his weekly media briefing ahead of Friday's Premiership to Northampton Saints, Baxter highlighted his concern around the back five of the scrum in particular.

He said: “We have been struck down in the back five of the scrum again all in one go. Jonny Gray is with Scotland, Sam Simmonds is away with England, Christ Tshiunza is with Wales and then picking up a couple of relatively bad backrower injuries, we are challenged in that area.

“It is good to have Jack Dunne back from injury now, Dafydd Jenkins is close to a return now, but it is just one of those things and we got hit all in one go around the back five of the scrum.”

Divulging further, Baxter explained: “Richard Capstick is having a shoulder operation so that will be a good length of time out and Jannes Kirtsen, we are investigating a knee issue.

“With Christ away with Wales, the youngs guys we thought might be playing are not and the senior guys we thought might be playing are not as well. It has all come at one go.”

Aidon Davis is another still on the sidelines, but he has returned to monitored training in the past fortnight, so hopes are high it won't be too long before he is available in the selection mix.

In the back division, the loss of Townsend will certainly be felt. Baxter adding: “Stu Townsend has had shoulder surgery now. It was a relatively serious injury so he is going to be out for a good three or four months.

“With Ollie Devoto it is going to be into the New Year, he is going okay [after hip surgery]. It is nothing negative, it is just a long-term recovery from a serious operation and it is one you have got to get right. But he looks comfortable and he has been moving along the time scale as we expected.”

As well as the aforementioned, others on the sidelines include props Billy Keast, Ben Moon and Marcus Street, as well as hooker Iestyn Harris and centre Tom Hendrickson.

Baxter, though, is by no means feeling sorry for himself or making excuses, and looking to learn from the lessons of last season’s campaign.

Ahead of Saints, who beat Bristol Bears 45-31 at home last weekend, Baxter said: “We are not going into these rounds of games looking to cling on, we are going into them looking to lay down markers. We have been there plenty of times before and it is just a test of character of this group.

“The thing we got wrong during this period last season is we didn’t grow, and that is what we have got to do now.”