Mumm warns of crucial period

By Nick Warren

Dean Mumm thinks this is a key part of the season if Exeter Chiefs are going to maintain their challenge for an Aviva Premiership semi-final berth.

The Sandy Park outfit will head to Bath on Saturday in third place in the league.

That comes after they went down 18-11 at Sale on Friday, their first loss in nine games.

With Bath currently second in the standings, Saturday’s derby has taken on extra significance.

And Mumm knows Exeter need to get back to winning ways as soon as possible if they are going to stay in contention at the top of the table over the coming months.

“Historically this Christmas period is where seasons are made and lost,” said the 30-year-old. “If we want to stay where we are going to have to step up over a period of time.

“This week is an important week for everyone family-wise with Christmas time and enjoying some time away, but also flip things around and we have the opportunity to go up to Bath and play in front of a big crowd and push on in the league.”

Exeter were 18-6 down going into the closing stages against Sale on Friday before Thomas Waldrom claimed his eighth try of the season to rescue a losing bonus point.

Having been second best on the night, and been so far adrift, skipper Mumm was pleased to get the consolation of a bonus point for finishing seven points adrift.

However, the Australian was not happy to see his side’s eight-game winning streak come to an abrupt halt.

Mumm said: “Ultimately we’re pleased with the bonus point considering it certainly wasn’t one of our better performances. Sale is not an easy place to go and win so we can be pleased with the bonus point, but not with the result.”

Exeter made life difficult for themselves as they collected two yellow cards in the first half, with Ben White following Damian Welch to the sin bin.

Rob Baxter’s side also coughed up a string of penalties to allow Sale to take a firm grip on the match.

Mumm said they only had themselves to blame for that.

“The reality is they played very well, but we were ill disciplined and paid the price,” he said. “We put a lot pressure on ourselves by being ill disciplined at the set-piece.”