Trio deserve their place - Baxter

By Mark Stevens

Delighted Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter says its “fantastic” that three of his squad have been named in Stuart Lancaster’s England squad for this autumn’s Rugby World Cup.

Jack Nowell, Geoff Parling and Henry Slade were today all confirmed as part of Lancaster’s 31-man squad for the tournament, which kicks-off on September 28 against Fiji at Twickenham.

However, Luke Cowan-Dickie’s World Cup dream was sadly ended when he was omitted from Lancaster’s plans alongside the likes of Danny Cipriani, Luther Burrell, Alex Corbisiero and Billy Twelvetrees.

Speaking to the media at Sandy Park, Baxter said: “It’s fantastic news and I’m delighted for the three players. They have had some great news, but it’s thoroughly deserved from what I’ve seen and what I have heard.

“As a club it is one of those stepping stones we have always wanted to take, we want to show we are a club that English players can come to and achieve their international ambitions. However, it’s also a club where other internationals can also come and play too.

“Those players now know that playing for Exeter and playing in the Aviva Premiership and in Europe is a way for you to get onto those next steps of your rugby career, which is ultimately playing internationally and beyond that playing in a Rugby World Cup.

“For the three players and for the club, it’s obviously great news. At the same time we’ve got Tomas Francis starting his first international for Wales at the weekend, we’ve got Michele Campagnaro starting for Italy against Scotland and we’ve got both Elvis Taione and Chrysander Botha away in World Cup camps as well.

“That’s quite a lot of international representations coming into a Rugby World Cup, but the icing on the cake is obviously with the three English boys.”

Baxter believes the growing contingent of international names within the Chiefs playing ranks is down to the work that has been put in by the club since their arrival in the Premiership back in 2010.

“We have always known these are the steps you have to take getting into the Premiership,” added Baxter. “When we first came up we didn’t really want too many international players as wanted them here and available to us for the full season.

“At the same time, though, we always realised that if you want to be seen as a top end club, which is where we strive to be, you have to be an attractive club to international players and I think we’re starting to get that now.

“Obviously it’s fantastic when you can grow you own like we have with Jack, Henry and Luke, but to be able to attract someone like Geoff Parling, a current international and who is now playing in a World Cup, it shows the standards we are starting to gain.

“But also it shows the quality of the players who are not at the World Cup that we have here at the club. The qualities they have shown over the last few years is what has helped these lads showcase their talents and the pleasing thing for me is we are a team who can push players forward.”

Baxter continued: “Ultimately there is no way round it, most international players come from the top four or five clubs – and there is a reason for that. They tend to be the best clubs, playing the best rugby and that’s what we are striving to become. The fact we have three players in this England squad shows we are moving in the right direction.”

Whilst Nowell, Parling and Slade will gear themselves for the challenge of facing the likes of Australia, Wales, Fiji and Uruguay in Group A, disappointed Cornishman Cowan-Dickie (pictured) will now head back to re-join his club-mates at Sandy Park.

Baxter, though, had special praise for the talented hooker, who he knows will overcome the setback and bounce back even stronger.

“He’s had an extended period away playing with good players and being in and around the England camp,” said the Chiefs coach. “I’ve no doubt he will have learnt a lot and yes he will be disappointed, I’m disappointed for him.

“However, you have to trust the England management because they have seen a lot of him over the last six or seven weeks and have made that call. Luke will be disappointed with his time off the bench against France. He knows it was not the best he’s playing and we know he can player better, but there is no doubt he will be in the England fold again in the future.

“What’s important now is that he takes the positives out of what has happened, makes sure he gets his head down and works hard because who knows, a couple of injuries over the next few weeks and he’s back in the squad.

“What we will do here is manage him, look after him and get him back up to speed. I know he will be disappointed, but he loves his rugby and it won’t be long before you see him flying around Sandy Park again and back in the eyes of the England selectors.”