EXETER Chiefs have been praised for helping to put the city on the map as they recover from the disappointment of losing their play-off final at Twickenham.

The city’s rugby team lost 26-17 to Northampton in the Gallagher Premiership final, having bounced back from the disappointment of the previous campaign which saw them suffer record defeats on their way to ninth place in the league.

The latest campaign, however, saw the Chiefs roaring back into the kind of form that has made them one of the country’s top teams of recent years.

City council leader Phil Bialyk (Lab, Exwick) paid tribute to the Chiefs at a meeting of the executive committee.

“As disappointing as it was, they have done extremely well,” he said. “Who’d have thought they would have been anywhere near it this season?

“Coach Rob Baxter and chairman Tony Rowe have continued to do great things at Exeter Chiefs. They are having some structural changes that they have to do in order to keep Premiership rugby in the city, and we wish them well.”

Cllr Bialyk said having the name ‘Exeter’ in the sport’s top division gave the whole city a boost.

“It puts us on the map,” he said. “I love it every time they say ‘Exeter Chiefs’ on television, and I think it’s a great thing for this city, and for rugby and sport in this area.”