Chiefs side to face Tigers
By Mark Stevens
9/9/22
The waiting is over, weeks and months in the planning will now be put into fruition as Exeter Chiefs prepare to kick-off their latest Gallagher Premiership exploits with the visit of defending champions Leicester Tigers to Sandy Park tomorrow (3pm).
In a summer of change - both on and off the field for the Chiefs - the club's striking new rebrand has heralded Devon's finest to reinvent themselves after a somewhat disappointing campaign last term, where they missed out on the end of season play-offs for the first time in six years.
With a nod to the past, the Chiefs are making no secret of the fact that they are keen to embrace their new look as the ideal opportunity to unearth a new Exeter.
Amongst that change is for Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, to take a less 'hands-on' approach to match-days, leaving head coach Ali Hepher to move front and centre, while in attack and defence, where new coach Omar Mouneimne has also been added this summer, there have also been new interactions in a bid to re-ignite the Chiefs charge.
In his media briefing this week, Hepher said: "On match days, Rob necessarily won’t be with the team so I’ll be leading that side of things.
"On away games, he will be travelling separately to the team. He will still be at all the games, he will be very much involved with everything we do, but he won’t be travelling with the team so pre-match, matchday post-match I will be dealing with it… I think he will still do the media side of stuff through the week but on match-days, it will be down to myself and the other coaches. Yeah, a bit of a change in the role but something exciting to get on with."
Baxter, though, will still be the Chief at the helm with Hepher adding: "We still sit across the desk and we are talking through everything. He is very aware of everything that is going on all the time. It’s a very simple relationship in the sense that we both work incredibly hard, we are both comfortable sharing our opinions and we will work through the best way to solve problems and get to the solution that we want. That very much hasn’t changed.
"Rob Hunter is in that mix as well and Omar coming in has been brilliant and added some coaching quality there. As a coaching group, we have got Ricki (Pellow), Gareth (Steenson), Haydn Thomas and Gareth Elliott all chipping in. We are a strong coaching group and we all have our opinions and we all very much listen to everyone. The main decisions still land with Rob but on match day, the main decisions within the game will probably land at my door."
For Hepher, though, the challenge is there for everyone to step up and after a gruelling pre-season programme, which included mixing it with the Royal Marines for a few days, now the time has come to put those efforts into on-field actions.
"We've worked the guys hard," he added. "Equally, they have worked hard and responded with a real level of effort. As coaches, we didn't have to drive that, they were ready to go deep and dark, and they certainly got that. At the same time, they spent some great time together, on and off the field, and that's probably been missing these last couple of years.
"As I said, pre-season has been great for us. Yes, we've changed a few things, but we've had time to work on that and with Omar coming in with responded need system, other changes in defence and attack, it's really added a freshness to things."
Hepher also praised the way in which the club's leadership group have also helped to drive the standards, including adopting the rebrand as a key ingredient in instilling a new identity within the playing group.
"They've pushed the rebrand as a theme amongst themselves," said Hepher. "For us, it was a good opportunity to reconnect with the past, as well as show the qualities we want to show as a club. It's been pleasing how the guys have not only taken it on board, but also taken it forward."
Now, the hard work begins in earnest with the visit of the Tigers this weekend. It's a fixture Hepher and his players are relishing, not just because it signals the start of a new season, but it will allow them to gauge where they are in terms of the season ahead.
"When the fixtures come out, you're always excited for that first game," explained Hepher. "For us, it's a great start, especially coming up against the champions. Steve [Borthwick] has done a great job over the last couple of years, turning them round and into a quality side. We know they'll be a top-quality side, who are hard-working, physical and who will be good around the set-piece.
"They are all areas you associate with Leicester, so we know we will have to be top drawer at the weekend. Equally, it's an opportunity for us to show what we are about. As always there will be five points up for grabs and it will be up to us to go hunting for them."
