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It's been nothing short of a nightmare season for Exeter Chiefs.
It's been nothing short of a nightmare season for Exeter Chiefs.
The two-time Premiership champions lost their first eight domestic encounters and are currently only nine points clear of bottom side Newcastle Falcons.
Just three Premiership wins from 14, while also being dumped out of the Champions Cup in the pool stages, saw Ali Hepher removed from his role as head coach.
Brown-Bampoe is a shining light that Chiefs will cling on to
However, Exeter have unearthed a hidden gem in brilliant winger Paul Brown-Bampoe.
The free-scoring flyer has touched down 18 times in 19 appearances this season, including a dramatic double during Exeter's hard-fought loss to Bath last weekend.
Brown-Bampoe has created quite the highlight reel this term, showcasing his granite-like power alongside clear finishing prowess.
The 22-year-old is a graduate from Durham University and signed for the Chiefs last year after impressing in BUCS Super Rugby.
Brown-Bampoe's potential was clear in pre-season with the powerful and pacy back scoring a hat-trick of tries against local rivals Cornish Pirates before also scoring against the Ospreys and Ulster.
The 6ft 3 inch, 98 kgs wing quickly adapted to the top level as after a brief spell on loan at National One side Plymouth Albion, Brown-Bampoe ran in a try from 95 metres on his Champions Cup debut against Bordeaux Bègles in January.
He has also shown blistering form in the Premiership Cup, scoring a hat-trick against Cornish Pirates and played a pivotal role in the club's journey to the final.
England honours could await
His form in the second half of the season has seen him enter the conversation to become a bolter for England's Americas summer tour.
And new Exeter head coach Rob Hunter says the team are building around Brown-Bampoe, such is his talent.
“He is already (a big player for Exeter), he’s attracting a lot of interest as your best players always do,” said Hunter. “He’s an incredible talent, a joy to work with and probably our most improved player, considering I was watching him against Exeter University a year and a half ago.
“It’s exciting every time he touches the ball. I think we need to just get the ball to him, it’s a really important thing for us to have a game plan that brings these guys into it rather than having them stand on the edge.”