Exeter Rugby Club are a rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon.

The Exeter club was formed in October 1872 and played its first match on the 26th of that month. The first team has been rebranded as the Exeter Chiefs and play in a strip of Black (Home), White (Away).

The Chiefs currently play in the top-tier of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership, having been promoted on 26 May 2010, when they beat Bristol Rugby. They relocated from the County Ground to Sandy Park in the summer of 2006, which has a ground that can accommodate 10,744. They are currently coached by Rob Baxter.

In 1905, Devon played a match against the All Blacks at the County Ground, the home of the club, attracting a crowd of 6,000.

Thomas Kelly played lock for Exeter Rugby Club and is the only player from the team to have captained England. He led the English team to a 19–0 victory over France at the Stade Colombes in Paris on 1 January 1908.

In recent seasons a large effort has been made by the club to gain promotion to the Guinness Premiership this was typified by the recruitment in the 2007/08 off season when the club acquired the services of many seasoned professionals.

Exeter (ⁱ/ˈɛksɨtər/ EK-si-tər) is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the County Council. The city is on the River Exe, about 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Plymouth, and 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Bristol. According to the 2001 Census, its population in that year was 111,076, while the mid-2010 estimate was 119,600.

Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Britain. Its Exeter Cathedral, founded in the early 12th century, became Anglican at the time of the 16th century Reformation.

Exeter has been identified as one of the top ten most profitable locations for a business to be based. The city has good transport links, with Exeter St David's railway station, Exeter Central railway station, the M5 motorway and Exeter International Airport connecting the city both nationally and internationally. Although a popular tourist destination, the city is not dominated by tourism.