Baxter pleased with pre-season plans

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter believes his squad are in "good nick" as the countdown to the new 2013/14 season edges ever closer.

Now well entrenched into their pre-season programme, the Chiefs leader has been impressed by the attitude, work-rate and commitment of his troops ahead of their fourth year in English rugby's top flight.

"It's exciting times and I know everyone at the club is really looking forward to the new season," said Baxter, whose own summer break was somewhat curtailed by his involvement with the England coaching team in Argentina. "Pre-season has started well for us, the guys are enjoying themselves and, most importantly, they are working extremely hard.

"With the fixtures coming out this week, once we see who we get for that opening day and the weeks that follow, then we'll be able to focus in even more on certain things. What we know from previous years is that whoever you face at this level, it's always going to be a real tough challenge. I often say, I quite like tough challenges and that's what you get with the Premiership and the Heineken Cup.

"I tend to think the bigger challenges we face, the more we tend to thrive. That's why whoever we face this season, I know it will be a challenge that we will look to meet head on."

With a large percentage of last season's squad still on board for the new campaign, Baxter has drafted in only a handful of new arrivals with Greg Bateman, Tom James, Dave Lewis and Ceri Sweeney arriving at Sandy Park during the close season.

However, the Chiefs coach has been delighted with the way his newcomers have quickly settled into Devon life.

"All the new guys have fitted in very well," added Baxter. "The recent trip to Spain helped get people settled in very well. A lot of the boundaries that can sometimes be there in the initial weeks were gone very quickly and the boys spent a lot of time together in a relaxed atmosphere. That trip, together with being around the place here, has really let the group come together.

"Also, the guys have come back in very good nick and in some ways we feel we are ahead of where we were at this stage 12 months ago. The proof of the pudding, though, will come when we get into the games. The early signs, however, are very encouraging and I'm very happy."

As part of the club's pre-season programme, the first-team squad ventured down to the nearby Exmouth Beach on Tuesday to carry out a number of conditioning drills which, at the same time, incorporated important rugby-themed aspects.

"With the beach only 10-15 minutes away from the club, it's kind of easy for us to go down there, get some really good conditioning work done and get the boys out and about in a different environment," continued Baxter. "Not only can we work the boys really hard, but the sand means we can get stuck into some contact work and get the boys hitting the floor without getting hurt.

"Again it's an important phase of our preparation in terms of the build-up to the new season. As I've said before, the Premiership looks more competitive each year - it certainly was last season - so we have to be ready. We're not a side that looks at the season as a drag or a battle in any way, we look at it more as we want to be involved at the highest levels and look to make the most of every experience."

Check out this site for full details of who the Chiefs will face in the Aviva Premiership this season from 11am on Thursday.