Exeter Chiefs expect Phil Dollman to be available for start of next season

Aviva Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs are hoping for full-back Phil Dollman to be fit in the time for the start of the 2017/18 season after he sustained a knee injury.

The 32-year-old scored the second try for the Sandy Park outfit in their 20-23 victory in the final against Wasps at Twickenham Stadium but was forced to leave the field in the 45th minute.

The injury came at a wrong time for the uncapped Dollman after he was called up to the Wales squad for the summer tour of Tonga and Samoa but now will remain on the sidelines and was replaced by Scarlets' Rhys Patchell.

"I saw Phil at the club on Monday, and he was working with the physios on rehab," Exeter head coach Rob Baxter told the club's official website.

"It is one of those really annoying knee injuries where he will probably be fit by the start of the season, but he needs to be fit now.

"It is really unfortunate for Phil. I am really pleased that he ended up playing in a winning Premiership final, so at least he had the satisfaction of winning that game before being ruled out.

"I know he was desperately looking forward to going on tour, and it meant an awful lot to him.

"It is a real shame, as it would have been a really nice thing to achieve at the end of the season, but he has been very unfortunate.

"I know what Phil is like, though. He will work very hard to maximise the scenario he is in now.

"It is not anything that requires an operation, just a length of rehab. It is a certain level of tear. It is one of those ones which needs conservative management and time to heal."