Chiefs to face Bristol Bears
By Mark Stevens
21/4/23
Emotions will be running high at Sandy Park tomorrow, but Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, insists that cannot get in the way of his side looking to overcome Westcountry rivals Bristol Bears (3pm).
With their play-off hopes all but evaporating last Sunday at Leicester, the task at hand now for the Chiefs is to ensure Champions Cup qualification and a victory over their nearest and dearest should ensure that task is complete ahead of their impending European semi-final with La Rochelle.
In what was a miserable day at the office for the Devonians last time out, Leicester’s 62-19 success was a record top-flight defeat for the Chiefs, Baxter is hoping a return to home comforts can prove pivotal in their overall quest.
To date, only table-topping Saracens have emerged victorious from Sandy Park this season in all competitions. It’s been on the road where Baxter’s side have tended to struggle, apart from in October when they thumped the Bears 50-14 at Ashton Gate.
That remains one of the stellar showings of the season and Baxter would love for a repeat performance this weekend on a day when the Chiefs faithful will get their final chance to give a rousing send-off to a glut of long-term servants who are departing or retiring at the end of the season.
Baxter acknowledged in his weekly media briefing that it will be an emotional day for many, but he doesn’t want the occasion to distract from the job at hand, which is to win a game of rugby first and foremost
“The first meeting we had this week, we talked about how it’s going to be a good and an important day for all of us,” said Baxter. “However, let’s not expect it to be good because we want it to be good. As a group, we have to direct that emotional energy in the right way.
“Bristol won’t be coming here to have a party or say ‘well done’ to our players, they are coming here to win a game of rugby. If we direct our energy and our emotion in the right way, then we’re normally pretty good. It’s when we don’t, that’s when we have problems. All I’ve said to our lads is, I want them to go out, perform and then be able to walk off the pitch proud of what they have achieved.”
Among those set to feature at Sandy Park for the final time are Stuart Hogg and Ian Whitten, both of whom are set to retire from the game along with Ben Moon at the end of the season. The clash will also see final home run-outs for Dave Ewers, Jannes Kirsten, Sam Simmonds, Joe Simmonds and Sean O’Brien.
Others departing, including the likes of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Nowell, Jack Maunder and Harry Williams, will get their chance to say goodbye when the players take to the field at the final whistle for a lap of honour.
Ahead of all that, the attention will all be on the game itself and Baxter is relishing tomorrow’s derby tussle, particularly in the wake of their hefty loss at the Tigers.
“No one likes losing, especially me,” said Baxter. “The biggest frustration of that result, especially when we watched it back as a group, was the pressure points we created ourselves around their scores and the cards we picked up. A lot of the areas where we had been so good the previous two weeks’ in Europe, we didn’t replicate and that’s kind of been how our season has been.
“It’s that inconsistency that we need to work on and iron out, because when we are good, we are very good, and when we are bad, we are very bad. We just need to get that balance and that middle line and push on from there.”
Standing in the way of the Chiefs tomorrow will be a Bears side, who themselves are losing a number of key stars at the end of the season. The likes of Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra and Ioan Lloyd are among those exiting, whilst also missing this weekend will be prop Ellis Genge, who picked up a three-game ban earlier this week after being cited for a dangerous tackle on England team-mate, Tom Curry.
Baxter is aware of the threat posed by the visitors, warning: “Bristol is always a tough fixture, whether it’s home or away. They have a lot of threats all over the pitch and we have to be ready to meet them head on. As I said, there will be a lot of emotion around this weekend’s game, but we have to make sure we are focused on the task in hand and nothing else.
“For me, we’ve just got to get back to enjoying every game we play. You never want to get tired of playing Premiership rugby. It’s a privilege to be a coach, a player, a supporter in the Premiership. Our players should enjoy being on the field in front of big crowds and that’s exactly what this weekend will be.”
Team news for the Chiefs sees Baxter make a number of changes to his starting line-up. In the pack, Dan Frost, Marcus Street, Dafydd Jenkins, Ewers and Kirsten all return, while behind there is a new-look centre pairing of Whitten and Henry Slade, who will also captain the side having been forced to sit out last week’s game as part of his mandatory rest for England involvement.
Olly Woodburn, sent off at Welford Road, is available after RFU disciplinary chiefs deemed his two yellow cards were sufficient punishment. He lines-up in a back three that also includes Tom Wyatt and Hogg.
