Jess seeks rapid response

Exeter Chiefs wing Matt Jess is pleased the players do not have long to wait to put right the mistakes they made in their heavy defeat at Leicester Tigers last Sunday.

The Devon side were handed a record-equalling loss in the Aviva Premiership as the reigning champions produced arguably their best display of the campaign to triumph 45-15 at Welford Road.

Exeter are back at Sandy Park on Saturday, when they take on Westcountry rivals Gloucester in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd, and the game cannot come soon enough as far as the Chiefs are concerned.

“The good thing about Leicester being a Sunday game is that we haven’t got so long to wait for the next match to come along,” explained Jess. “It was a tough one to take. We didn’t turn up, and didn’t perform how we thought we were going to.”

The Chiefs conceded three tries inside a difficult opening half an hour to find themselves trailing 22-10.

“I think the way we started the match probably set the tone for the rest of the game, and by the time we got into the second half, it was all about just trying to get four tries and a bonus point by playing a bit of rugby and getting a bit of pride back really,” added Jess.

Exeter went into the contest somewhat disadvantaged by the fact they had come off the back of two big LV= Cup ties, including their success in the final at Sandy Park seven days before, whereas most of the Leicester players had not been in action since their Premiership win at Newcastle Falcons on March 2.

However, Jess was not looking for excuses for the poor performance.

“Leicester had two weeks off and you expected them to be a little bit rusty, but on the flip side of that, they were fresh and looking forward to playing 80 minutes of rugby,” said the 29-year-old, who lost his place to England returnee Jack Nowell in the starting line-up but replaced the Cornish youngster at the interval when he was forced to go off with a shoulder injury.

“I wouldn’t make the excuse that we were tired, because over the last couple of weeks we have played some good rugby and we were going to use that momentum coming into the Leicester game.”

Jess added: “Going to Welford Road is always a big game, especially with the position Leicester are in in the league table, and it is one of those where you just try and get some sort of result, but it just wasn’t our day.

“We will reset and regroup, rehab and recover as much as possible, work on our mistakes and then get ready for Gloucester.”

Last season’s match with the Cherry and Whites at Sandy Park, at the beginning of May, will be talked about for many years to come and was one of the best Premiership games of the season.

Exeter won 40-39 after Gareth Steenson slotted a penalty in the final minute of a thrilling eight-try clash to give Richard Baxter the perfect send-off into his retirement on his 431st and final appearance for the club.

“It has got all the makings of being a classic again,” admitted Jess. “The decent weather we are getting at the moment should help that. In parts at Leicester, especially in the second half, we did try and play our brand of rugby, and we are not going to go away from that."