Exeter's Tommy Wyatt faces second ACL surgery

Exeter Chiefs full-back Tommy Wyatt is set to miss the start of the 2025/26 season after suffering a second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture.

The 25-year-old will undergo another round of surgery, this time for a left knee injury, just months after completing a 10-month recovery from an ACL injury in his right knee.

Wyatt’s new injury comes at an especially cruel moment, shortly after his return to the pitch following the right knee rupture sustained in January 2024.

He had made a commendable comeback late this season, featuring prominently in Exeter’s Premiership campaign and offering flashes of his attacking and defensive prowess.

However, medical assessment revealed a rupture to the left ACL, meaning Wyatt will now begin another rehabilitation process expected to last between six and nine months.

The timing of the injury rules him out for the opening stages of the new season, dealing a major blow to Exeter’s back-line plans.

Exeter Chiefs’ Director of Rugby Rob Baxter expressed sympathy and support for the young full-back, confirming the seriousness of the recurrence and its likely connection to structural strain following the first injury.

“Once he completes this latest period of rehabilitation, Tommy will be even stronger,” Baxter stated, highlighting the club’s commitment to ensuring Wyatt gets all the medical, emotional, and developmental support needed during his recovery journey.

The Chiefs coaching team will be evaluating options to cover Wyatt’s absence, but all signals suggest he remains a vital part of the club’s long-term plans.