Rob Baxter believes that Gareth Steenson can continue improving his all-round game in an Exeter Chiefs shirt after seeing the fly-half agree a new three-year deal at the club.
The 30-year-old, who has helped establish his side as a real force within the Aviva Premiership, agreed terms on a new contract this week which will keep him at Sandy Park until 2018.
Steenson leads the current points tally in the league, with Baxter insisting that the Irishman is reaping the rewards of the hard work he has already put in on the training ground.
"There's no magic ingredient," he told the club's official website. "Steeno has improved over a period because his gained more and more experience in the Premiership and in Europe and those experiences are vital in creating a top-quality player.
"Aligned to that he's worked extremely hard. As Ali said after the Saracens game when he was talking about his kicking, he goes out, practises and puts the time in. He's meticulous with it. He and we have reaped the rewards from that, it makes him a very important member of the team and it's helped us massively in our time in the Premiership.
"On top of his kicking there are elements of his game that are improving all the time. He's had to make himself go out and do that. His defence this year has been the big marker for me that's noticeably improved. We don't hide him on the wing, we don't shield him at all, he stands there in the 10 channel and takes whatever's coming and done it very well."
Phil Dollman also recently committed his future to the Chiefs by penning a new deal.
Daniel Lewis
