Chiefs side to face Munster
By Mark Stevens
8/4/22
Rob Baxter is relishing an exciting fortnight ahead as his Exeter Chiefs side prepare to tackle Munster Rugby in the last 16 of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
In a first for the competition at this stage, the Chiefs will lock horns with their Irish counterparts in a double header which will be ultimately decided by points difference.
Not since 2010 when Devon’s finest tackled Bristol in the inaugural RFU Championship play-off final has such a scenario faced Baxter and his squad of players.
It’s a challenge, though, that the Chiefs Director of Rugby is clearly relishing as he prepares for the opening fixture at Sandy Park tomorrow (5:30pm).
“It should be a great couple of games,” he said. “We’re up against Munster, one of the traditional powerhouse teams when it comes to the Heineken Cup, so it should be a fantastic. Both games are going to be huge occasions, but when I look at the whole draw of the competition, I think the second legs are going to be amazing.
“Already I can see some of the scripts that can happen. For us, though, the focus this week is purely on Saturday and making sure we produce a performance that puts us in good stead for the following week.
“Tactics will play a part, of course they will, but I don’t want to talk too much about that now. I want us to go out enjoy this first leg and stay on that upward trajectory that we’ve been building for the last few weeks. I want to us to get excited about being in the Heineken Cup and make it a big night for the club, the players and for the supporters.”
As Baxter eluded too, the Chiefs have experience of this format before, but that was some time ago and ‘a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then’.
“The last time we were involved in a genuine knockout double header would have been that Bristol game,” added Baxter. “It was a unique scenario then and it’s much the same now. What I can say is, we came away from that first leg dead and buried according to most people, even though we won it!
“People didn’t expect us to kick on in that second leg, so it does create an interesting dynamic. Yes, it helps that we’ve experienced it before, but we’re going to get overawed by things. The focus has to be on the here and now.”
The Chiefs, however, will head into the game buoyed by a hugely impressive victory over Bath at Sandy Park last weekend. Baxter’s side bounced back from trailing 22-7 just before the break to eventually win 42-22.
“That performance kind of summed up our season,” added the Chiefs boss. “We started brightly, we kept the ball well, but the first chance we had to have a wobble, we had one. That’s kind of what has happened for us this season, we have patches in games where we are as good as anyone in the league, but then at other times we seem to just drop off.
“If you look at two of their scores from last weekend, we were just so passive and allowed them in. If we do that over these next two weeks, then we will be in real trouble. That said, the last 50 minutes is as good as anything I’ve seen us produce over the years against Bath. Now the challenge is to keep on this upward path and focus on the basics and the foundations which look after us so well.”
Certainly, the Chiefs faithful appeared to understand the plight of their team during that first half and Baxter was quick to praise them for the way in which they got behind the players at a crucial time in the game.
‘It was almost like they said ‘Here we Go’ we need to do something,” he added. “You could feel the vibe and the noise around the game, yet they stuck with us during that first half. It was tough to watch, I know that better than anyone, but fair play the players reignited them before half time and they were able to really enjoy what we did in that second half. I really hope that drives us for the rest of their season.”
Munster, though, will be determined to showcase their own talents and having been humbled by Leinster a week ago, Baxter is wary of the threat the Irish province will pose over these two games.
“Whenever you play Irish sides, you know you will be challenged in all areas, it’s one of their strengths,” he warned. “Games between the two clubs have always been tight, sometimes coming down to goal kicking, and I’ve no doubt this could be the same. Of course, both sides will want to blow open if they can, but that’s the challenge we have to try and overcome.”
Aside from the injured England quartet of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ollie Devoto, Jonny Hill and Jack Nowell, Baxter’s playing resources look well placed. He welcomes back Harry Williams and Sam Simmonds into his pack tomorrow, whilst behind Henry Slade is the sole change to the back division.
