Whitten has high hopes for Chiefs

By Stuart James

Ian Whitten believes the world is Exeter Chiefs’ oyster this season, if they can stay focused and determined in their pursuit of glory.

Rob Baxter’s men sit second in the Premiership and reached the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup last weekend after a dramatic win over Ospreys at Sandy Park.

It sets them up nicely for the second half of the campaign where the Devon side will hope to land some major silverware and add to the LV= Cup they won against Northampton in 2014.

“We have put ourselves in a position to do something, but there is half a year to go and basically, it is up to us,” Whitten said.

“Throughout the club, how much do we want it to happen this year? We are certainly playing well enough at times and it is just about keeping going, staying focused and keeping that level of determination in each game that we play in, so basically it is down to us.

“But if we start looking and resting on our laurels then we will lose it. we have to keep attacking it and you never know what will happen for you at the end of the year.”

The Chiefs travel to Worcester on Sunday looking to maintain their place at the top of the Premiership table, but the Warriors are a much different proposition to Worcester teams of the recent past.

“I have to say that Worcester are a much improved team from the one that went down a couple of years ago and I think they have been really unlucky in a few of their games as they have lost a few close ones,” Whitten said.

“You can see from the way they are playing that they are laying much better rugby.

“It is a hard test going up there anyway, but it will be a really hard test for them too, they are obviously desperate for a win and we are desperate for a win ourselves.

“I am sure it is going to be a tough, physical encounter and we have to make sure we pitch it.”

Whitten has become an integral part of the Exeter side since his arrival from Ulster in the summer of 2012 and after penning a two-year contract extension this week, the 28-year-old centre said it was an easy decision to extend his stay in Devon.

“It was a very easy,” he said. “The club is going well, I enjoy playing here and I think the club can go on and I think the club can go on and do even better in the future, so from that point of view, it’s a very easy decision to make.

“Everybody down here has been very nice to us and it is a lovely part of the world to come and play rugby. I consider myself very lucky to be able to play down here.

“I think the people make it special. Everybody from the guys at the top in charge right down to the lads that I am lucky enough to play with, they are all great fellas and as a lot of the boys say, it’s a good team and a good team environment where everyone gets on well.

“From that point of view it is nice to be able to stay and be a part of that.

“A few guys are senior boys now like Steeno [Gareth Steenson], who has hung about and the culture has come from the Championship boys.

“They obviously had a winning environment here when they came up from the Championship and those guys that came through that were able to drive things on for the rest of us coming in and make it a very good place to come for those that come in.

“The culture here is something we have to keep hold of and it is good seeing guys stay around because not only are they good lads, but they are good players.”