Chiefs side to face Saracens
By Mark Stevens
27/12/19
Christmas festivities may have concluded for another year, but it seems there is one last cracker to pull as Exeter Chiefs prepare to welcome Saracens to Sandy Park this Sunday (3pm).
In what is the final fixture of the 2019 for both clubs, the Gallagher Premiership could not have thrown up a more talked-about conclusion, particularly given what has happened over the past 12 months.
The two clubs have been slugging it out, on and off the field, and they will lock horns this weekend with plenty to play for at either end of the table.
Rob Baxter’s Chiefs come into the tussle, sitting top of the standings following last weekend’s victory over Leicester Tigers, while Saracens, on the other hand, sit rock bottom, having been docked 35 points and hit with a £5.3 million fine after being found guilty of breaching the league’s salary cap regulations.
And, according to Baxter, the Chiefs’ Director of Rugby, there is plenty of motivation in both camps to ensure this latest match-up delivers on all fronts.
“We’re top of the league right now and had Saracens not had the points deduction, they themselves would be in and around the top too,” he said. “They have got a very talented squad, who are always tough to beat. They have a different motivation right here and now to other years, so it’s going to be an interesting challenge for us.
“Every game challenges you in different ways, just as every competition challenges you in different ways. For obvious reasons, Saracens are coming here desperate to collect points.
“We have been straight-forward in our thoughts about the salary cap situation, so that’s not going to be a de-motivator for then, I’m aware of that. That said, we have been in situations where they have knocked us off in a couple of finals now and we would like to out that record straight.
“As I said, there is a lot of motivation for both sides, so it should lead to a fantastic game.”
Certainly, interest in the game has been huge for several months now and with the sold-out signs up at Sandy Park, this weekend’s fixture really is the hottest ticket in town.
“This is a fantastic game to finish the year with,” added Baxter. “If you were to ask our supporters who’d they like to face over the Christmas period, they’d probably pick Saracens,
“It is fortunate this fixture has dropped when we are going okay and at the right end of the table, showing some really good form. Last week we managed to get some rest into a few of the guys, but now we have to go into this weekend in the only way we know how, which is to go flat out, all guns blazing, and look to get something out of the game.
“Last week’s win [up at Leicester] showed a lot of very good qualities, some of which you can’t teach the players. What you can do, however, is encourage it from the bottom right to the top. You can encourage that belief in each other and that desire to fight for each other. As coaches, it’s up to us to give the players a way to foster all of that – and that’s what we showed in abundance at the weekend.”
Despite making nine changes to his starting line-up, Baxter watched on as his Chiefs side produced one of their best displays of the season so far to see off a powerful Tigers outfit.
“I think you have to give a lot of credit to the players, especially those who stepped into the side,” added Baxter. “Some of those guys who stepped in were coming into positions where guys have been played very, very well this season. They’ve come in, yet in the back of their minds, they may have been thinking that they might have to come in and then drop out again, just because others were being rested.
“To a man, though, they fought to a standstill. You look at how few starts Elvis Taione has had, but you see the game he had. It was the same with Kev [Matt Kvesic], he threw everything into the game, as did so many others. As I said, I have to give the whole squad great credit because that it’s that attitude and commitment that allowed us to make those changes, yet still come away with a very good away win.”
It also underlines the growing maturity that exists within this current Chiefs squad, who appear to be learning all the time from on-field experiences, good and bad.
Among the setbacks this year was the latest Twickenham torment, when Sarries overcame the Chiefs to lift the Premiership title 37-34 at the start on June.
Without doubt that was the toughest defeat to take yet for the Devonians, who have made no secret of their desire to return to English Rugby HQ at the end of the current campaign and reclaim their place on Premiership Rugby’s throne.
“There is a growing maturity amongst the group,” explained Baxter. “That comes from having an increased group of players who now understand what it takes to win those big games. We have been through things in the past and we have made mistakes, but the difference now is we’re not making too many mistakes now. Instead, we’re getting ourselves well aligned and difficult to beat and being difficult to beat, first and foremost, is probably one of the most important foundation qualities you can have.”
As expected, Baxter recalls many of those frontline stars who were given last weekend off. Back into the pack come England duo Alec Hepburn and Luke Cowan-Dickie in the front-row, as well as Dave Dennis, Dave Ewers and free-scoring No.8 Sam Simmonds.
Behind, Nic White and Joe Simmonds return at half-back, while Henry Slade’s leg injury means Ian Whitten reverts back into the midfield alongside Devoto with Jack Nowell restored on the right wing.
CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE SARACENS
15 Stuart Hogg
14 Jack Nowell
13 Ian Whitten
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Joe Simmonds
9 Nic White
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
3 Harry Williams
4 Dave Dennis (capt)
5 Jonny Hill
6 Dave Ewers
7 Jacques Vermeulen
8 Sam Simmonds
16 Elvis Taione
17 Ben Moon
18 Enrique Pieretto
19 Jannes Kirsten
20 Don Armand
21 Jack Maunder
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Sam Hill