Exeter Chiefs women have appointed Oli Bishop as their new head coach to replace Steve Salvin who left in July.
Bishop has been promoted internally after working as Salvin’s assistant coach last season.
Salvin led the Chiefs to third place in the 2025-2026 Premiership Women’s Rugby before they lost narrowly to Saracens in the play-off semi-final.
He has since left to become full-time forwards coach with Wales after fulfilling the role on an interim basis for the 2026 Six Nations.
Bishop has spent 13 years coaching in the Women’s Premiership, with nine years at Wasps, two years at Ealing Trailfinders and last season at Sandy Park.
He told BBC South West: “This appointment is huge for me. The club has been amazing since I’ve been here.
“I’ve felt great support from the playing group that we have as well as the staff around me. The club itself is really supportive of the women’s game and what we are trying to do.
“Rob (Baxter, men’s director of rugby) and Tony (Rowe, Exeter chairman and CEO) have both been really helpful in the transition period going into head coach”.
Exeter Chiefs women were established in 2019, and finished championship runners-up in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, winning the Allianz Cup in both seasons.
Bishop believes he can help the club make that final step up and win a first PWR title.
“Its always important to put a personal touch in there. For us it’s all about evolution, not revolution.
“I think we’ve got a really experienced group here, cohesion is really high and we’ve brought in some really good players that are going to add value to our squad.
“I do believe we’ll be able to push it all the way, whether it’s this season or in future ones to come. We’re in a great place to compete in the top four”.
Bishop will be supported by new assistant coach Ross Bundy, who arrived from Leicester Tigers last month, and says they want to continue to reproduce the club’s rugby blueprint.
“We encourage the players to be more expansive in how we attack, giving the players licence to express themselves and be brave,” he added.
“For us it’s about being innovators, trying new things and trying to lead the women’s game.
“Identity is huge for us in what we want to do and the culture that we have here”.
