Lees set his sights on Wasps

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By Mark Stevens
19/4/2016

Mitch Lees believes a rare weekend off will ensure Exeter Chiefs are fully charged for the visit of Wasps in the Aviva Premiership on Sunday week.

Undone at the death by Dai Young's side a fortnight ago in the European Champions Cup, the two rivals are set to meet again on May 1 in the penultimate round of the scheduled top flight season.

With little to choose between either side, Wasps leapfrogged the Chiefs at the weekend following their win at Worcester and Exeter's loss at Gloucester - this latest match-up could go a long way to deciding who gains home advantage in the end of season play-offs.

Defending champions Saracens and Wasps have already booked their place in the play-offs, while the Chiefs need just a point from their remaining two games to guarantee their spot in the top four for the first time in the club's history.

But whilst Rob Baxter's Exeter squad can put their feet up this weekend for the first time since October, Wasps will instead be battling it out with Saracens to try and book a place in the Champions Cup final next month.

Aussie lock Lees knows the importance of his side's impending clash and says having the chat to rest up, physically and mentally, will stand the Chiefs in good stead.

"We do owe them one and the boys will definitely be up for it," said Lees. "Right now we've got the chance to rest and let the bodies recover, but once we come back into the club I'm sure the disappointment of that last game and the Gloucester game will drive us pretty hard.

"We've not locked in top four yet, but that's obviously the aim. This next game we're at home so it's up to us to take it them and put in a big performance that the fans at Sandy Park can really get behind."

As previous campaigns have so often proved, gaining home advantage in the play-offs is key and Lees says that is the objective for him and his team-mates over the final few weeks.

"If we can beat Wasps and then take it to Quins, I think we'll stand a good chance of getting that home semi-final," he added. "Everyone knows being at home in the semi offers you the best chance to get into the final, so we know we've got to put together one of those big Exeter performances and take it to them."

Certainly a return to home comforts - where the Chiefs have lost only once in 15 months - will be just the tonic the Devonians need after back-to-back away defeats.

Lees admitted last Friday's 16-9 reverse at Gloucester was 'disappointing' and said missed opportunities and poor discipline had come back to haunt the visitors.

"We had the opportunity to go there and lock in the top four, so we're disappointed with the end outcome," said the 27-year-old forward. "We had a lot of the ball and opportunities to score tries, but we couldn't convert on the night.

"As Rob said, silly mistakes from us gave them the opportunity to score points and easy points at that. In the end we were making mistakes and then backing it up with another and another. Fair play to Gloucester, they defended well and in the end they were the ones who came away with the win."

In a brutal contest at Kingsholm, however, Lees will have been pleased to have bagged another 80 minutes under his belt having only recently returned to first team duties following a long-term bicep injury.

"There were times out there when I was struggling a bit," said the former London Welsh powerhouse. "It was a tough match for everyone, but I've got 80 minutes this week and a good 55 the week before, so I will be better for it. Come two weeks time I know I'll be even better."