Baxter frustrated with loss

By Mark Stevens

Frustrated Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter was left to bemoan a sluggish first half display from his side as they slipped to defeat against top flight rivals Wasps at the Ricoh Arena.

The Devon club saw their hopes of maintaining their spot in the top four of the Aviva Premiership hit a bum note as Wasps stung Baxter’s troops with a 36-29 success.

Christian Wade’s early try set the home side on their way to victory after just two minutes, before the Midlanders added to their tally thanks to a penalty try, Joe Simpson’s sensational solo score and kicks from Elliott Daly and Andy Goode.

The Chiefs claimed tries of their own through Will Chudley and Thomas Waldrom (pictured), whilst Henry Slade’s 16-point contribution and Gareth Steenson’s last-gasp drop-goal ensured the visitors did head home with at least a valuable losing bonus point.

For Baxter, though, the opportunity of failing to press home their impressive recent form in the Premiership was a sore point as he addressed the media post-match.

“I’m happier now than I was at half time,” remarked the Exeter leader. “I thought up until then we were very disappointing and I told the players as much during the break. We didn’t show any of our traditional qualities, we were second best in most parts of the game and Wasps were deservedly building a lead.

“That said, it was almost a flip side in the second half we. We were probably the better team for long periods, but then the game broke open and in one minute it changed again with Joe’s try.

“For me, I think we have to be disappointed we didn’t make the most of today’s game. We came here with the chance of a win keeping us right in the play-offs with two rounds left, but actually we were quite passive and edgy as a team in that first half and that frustrates me massively.

Baxter added: “We got over that during the game, but you need to get over that long before you go points down. It’s easy to rattle into a team and ask them to show some some real qualities and not be afraid of losing, but we were really disappointing during that first half.

“I wanted us to get within seven points, rebuild the score, and see how Wasps would cope when they faced some periods of pressure because when that game was tight, there were 10 minutes where Wasps were making more mistakes than we were.

“The pressure of the game had flipped completely, but unfortunately we couldn’t capitalise and in the end Joe’s try sealed it for them.

“As I said, I’m happy with the second 40 today because we showed some real qualities. Had we shown the same qualities from the start, I think it would have been interesting.

“Moving forward, the guys just need to stop and think why were we edgy and a bit afraid in the early part, because if you want to be competitive at this time of year, the games get bigger and bigger. We don’t want to be a team playing in dead rubbers, that’s easy to be doing that, instead you want to be maximising everything you do.”

Although the Chiefs were defeated, Steenson’s late drop-goal ensured they headed home with a vital bonus point, one which has all but guaranteed that Champions Cup rugby will be returning to Sandy Park again next season.

“That point was very valuable,” continued Baxter. “I haven’t done the maths, but I think that pretty much guarantees us top six, which in itself is a huge thing for us. There are lots of good teams in the Premiership and to be in that mix takes quite an effort.

“People sometimes have to remember this is only our fifth year in the Premiership and we are back in the top six again. We’ve already had two top six finishes, so I think we are going quite well when you look at the sides around us.

“I just get frustrated when we don’t show the qualities that we have shown in abundance in some other games. Just look at the Northampton game a couple of weeks ago, that day we looked sharp, incisive, confident and powerful and we weren’t afraid of the game at all.

“Today, we weren’t brave, we were scared in that first half. However, if we hit the pitch like we did in second half, then I have a good feeling that game would have gone our way. Our job as coaches is to now make sure we get through things as quickly as possible and make sure the young guys appreciate what has happened today and that they don’t let it happen again.

“As I’ve said before to the players, you can’t make steel without going through furnaces and taking a bit of a hammering, that’s how it works. Sometimes we have to go through some of those moments to get better and to learn and today is another one of those days.”