EXETER Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has confirmed the club “went as far as we could” financially in an effort to keep lock Rusi Tuima, but ultimately could not match the offer that lured him to Newcastle Red Bulls.

Tuima, 25, will leave Sandy Park at the end of the season after agreeing a two‑year deal with the Red Bull‑backed Falcons. The powerful second‑row forward, who has spent his entire professional career with Exeter, has scored 20 tries in 74 appearances since making his debut in 2019 and has been capped at England Under‑20 level.

Baxter said the club had been keen to retain the homegrown talent but accepted that Exeter’s wage structure could not stretch to the level Newcastle were prepared to offer.

“We offered Rusi a contract and we’d have liked him to stay,” said Baxter. “But there’s a limit to what you can do. Every club faces this when players who’ve come through their system move on. Our frontline locks right now are Dafydd Jenkins and Andrea Zambonin, and our pay structures reflect where players sit within the squad.

“We couldn’t put as competitive an offer on the table as Newcastle. Rusi had to make the right decision for his future and his family’s future, and I completely understand that.”

Baxter stressed there were no hard feelings and expects Tuima to remain fully committed for the remainder of the campaign. “He’s a good guy and I’m expecting him to take full part in everything. There’s no negativity from our end. It’s just one of those financial squad situations.”

Tuima becomes the second Chief to confirm a summer switch to Kingston Park, following full‑back Josh Hodge’s decision to return to his former club after five years in Devon. Their arrivals form part of a major recruitment drive fuelled by new investment, with Newcastle also securing New Zealand international Hoskins Sotutu and Argentina lock Franco Molina as they rebuild for next season.