Chiefs side to face Worcester Warriors
By Mark Stevens
7/5/21
Rob Baxter has called on his Exeter Chiefs side to maintain their push for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs with another big performance against visiting Worcester Warriors tomorrow (3pm).
Fresh from back-to-back victories over Wasps and table-topping Bristol Bears, the defending champions know that they must keep the hammer down in their quest to fill one of those two all-important, home play-off spots.
Standing in their way at Sandy Park this weekend will be a Warriors side, who sit bottom of the standings and winless in their last seven top-flight fixtures.
Despite the loss of form for the Midlanders, the Chiefs Director of Rugby is acutely aware of the threat posed by the Warriors who, only a few years ago, found themselves in a similar predicament, but headed home that day with a slender 6-5 victory against the much-fancied Chiefs.
“We’re coming into the game on the back of a couple of very good results,” said Baxter. “I thought in the Wasps game we showed very good character, despite going behind to what you’d call a pretty opportunist try, and then really took control of things after half time to seal what was a very comprehensive victory in the end.
“We then followed that performance up with what was an all-round display up at Bristol. A lot of game really stood up that night, whilst we also shut them down in some key areas. Our set-piece gave them very little opportunity, but also gave us some real launch points to work from.
“As I said, it was a very pleasing win and kind of shows where we are as a side, especially when you come away from the leaders disappointed not to have got four tries in the bag.”
Since relinquishing their European title to Leinster last month, the Chiefs have responded in fine fashion and Baxter says it’s vital his players continue to turn up each week as they look to keep on track for defending their Premiership crown.
“The boys have responded very well,” added Baxter. “At this stage, all you can ask from them is that they show real fight. There is no point getting down the line and thinking we’re ready for a big game, we need to show it now.
“Obviously, we proved that point in the last two performances, but in a strange way the bigger challenge comes this weekend. It’s easy for us to get ourselves up and ready to go to the leaders, who are eight games unbeaten, because you know you have to be bang on.
“Worcester, on the other hand, are at the opposite end of the table. Results-wise they may not be getting what they want from games but, for as long as I can remember, I don’t think we’ve had a game against them where we haven’t felt uncomfortable for the whole 80 minutes.
“That challenges us in a lot of ways, so we have to decide to be that Premiership-winning team who want to go and achieve big things. If we don’t have those dreams and ambitions, that’s when we can slip up.
“If we are not second and others around us overtake us and keep winning, then they have the advantage. And if we drop out of the top four – and again teams keep winning – we stay out of the top four and that’s that.
“As I just said to Ali [Hepher], this game is almost like the jam in the sandwich. We’ve got all the ingredients around us. We’ve beaten Wasps and Bristol and if we can win at London Irish we can top the sandwich off, but a sandwich without jam is not a sandwich.
“As a side, we need to decide to get all the layers in place if we want to come out with what we want to come out with, which is winning games of rugby.”
Team news for the Chiefs sees Dave Ewers, missing for the game at Bristol Bears, return from his calf injury to take his place at blindside flanker. Other changes up front see Alec Hepburn return in the front-row, while Sam Skinner is shunted back into the second-row with Jonny Hill, this week confirmed as one of four Chiefs named in the British & Irish Lions squad, ruled out with a niggle.
Behind the scrum, the back division remains unchanged meaning Cornishman Jack Nowell will continue his recovery from his spell on the sidelines with a second start in as many games.
EXETER CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE WORCESTER WARRIORS
15 Stuart Hogg
14 Jack Nowell
13 Henry Slade
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Joe Simmonds (capt)
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
3 Tomas Francis
4 Jonny Gray
5 Sam Skinner
6 Dave Ewers
7 Jacques Vermeulen
8 Sam Simmonds
16 Jack Yeandle
17 Ben Moon
18 Harry Williams
19 Sean Lonsdale
20 Richard Capstick
21 Stu Townsend
22 Harvey Skinner
23 Ian Whitten