Baxter hails dominant Chiefs

By Mark Stevens
8/5/2016

Rob Baxter was full of praise for his Exeter Chiefs side as they booked themselves a home semi-final in this season’s Aviva Premiership play-offs with a 62-24 hammering of hosts Harlequins.

In a dominant display from the Chiefs at the Twickenham Stoop, they smashed their hosts into a multi-coloured pulp with a stunning ten-try salvo.

England international Jack Nowell (pictured) led the way with a hat-trick of tries, while there were further touchdowns for James Short (2), Dave Ewers, Phil Dollman, Will Chudley, Henry Slade and Julian Salvi.

Fly-half Gareth Steenson wrapped up the job for the Devonians with six conversions, ensuring that he finished the regular season as the Premiership’s Golden Boot winner on 234 points.

Harlequins, who were looking to give departing Director of Rugby, Conor O’Shea, a fitting send-off before he moves onto pastures new, simply could not contain Baxter’s side. They countered with converted tries from Danny Care, Kyle Sinckler and Winston Stanley, plus an early penalty from fly-half Nick Evans.

It was, however, the Chiefs who fired an ominous warning to their rivals, including Wasps who they will face in the last four at Sandy Park on Saturday, May 21 (3:15pm).

A delighted Baxter said post-match: “There is no way I am going to stand here and say we planned to score 60 points – no way at all.

"It didn't feel like that early on. The tempo was pretty high, both teams were working pretty hard and there was some good play time initially and both teams needed to draw breath because it was hot and humid out there.

"For a little while it looked like who was going to crack first and fortunately we just stuck at things a little bit more accurate than Harlequins."

He continued: “I have got to say well done to the boys because they worked extremely hard, played a lot of good rugby and stuck at it. Our mentality to go out there and win the game was absolutely first-rate.

"I have to take my hat off to them. To come here and work so hard against a good Harlequins team with a good home record and genuine ambition to play for something today was fantastic.”

Cornishman Nowell quite rightly took the plaudits for his finishing prowess, but equally his team-mates around him were equally effective in producing a stellar display in the nation’s capital

"Some of Will Chudley's passing to pick guys off on the outside and some of the finishing was absolutely first class.

“Jack looked electric out there today and he was effectively on one and a half legs. He’s had a bit of a hamstring issue, nothing serious, but he won’t mind me saying this but he’s been doing his usual ‘fit for Friday’ routine, comes out and does the team run and then plays at the weekend. It suits him and it suits us if he puts in displays like that.”

Exeter’s victory means it has set them up for a fourth meeting of the season with rivals Wasps, who themselves ended the scheduled season with a 38-12 home win over relegated London Irish.

Baxter is predicting it will be another testing challenge for his side, but hopes home advantage - where the Chiefs have lost only once in 16 months - will have it’s benefits.

“We are pleased to be on our home patch and that we are able to take a really big home game back in front of our supporters,” added the Chiefs leader. “We will go into the game looking on good form, both try-scoring and defensively, and confident that we can do something.

“We know they are a very good side and the threats they have, but we played well against them last time [beating them 24-3].

“For me, the important thing is if a semi-final at home at Sandy Park doesn’t bring the biggest game of the season out of us, then we don’t deserve to be there and that’s very much what I will talk to the players about. I want us to go and play the best game we have ever played because the occasion will deserve it.”