Johnson extends Exeter stay

England international Tom Johnson has signed a new one-year contract with Exeter, the Aviva Premiership club have announced.

The 30-year-old flanker has made more than 150 first-team appearances and won five England caps.

"I am really happy down here," Johnson said. "A lot of it is to do with the area, which I'm very fond of, and the boys here at the club. Both those things were important to me, as was staying within the current England set-up."

He continued: "Exeter have helped to get me to that position, so I didn't really want to go to another club and almost start from fresh again.

"I know what goes on here at the Chiefs, the routines and everything, and that seems to suit me.

"The hard work all the boys put in each day, our game structure, the club itself, they are all things that have helped get me the recognition I've had, so I was more than happy to stay here."

His hopes of playing a part in this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship were dashed by a knee injury suffered while on Heineken Cup duty against Leinster last month.

Regarding his injury, Johnson added: "I've got about five or six weeks (of rehabilitation) left.

"The medical and rehab staff here at the club are first class, and they are keeping me in check, simply because if you skip corners and don't do things in the right order then sooner or later you are going to fall foul of something."