Euro challenge excites Maunder

By Mark Stevens
21/1/17

It was an afternoon many of Exeter’s Class of 2016/17 would care to forget pretty quickly, but for Chiefs youngster Jack Maunder it was a day that will no doubt live long in the memory bank.

Sure, a 35-8 spanking on home soil by French rivals ASM Clermont Auvergne isn’t exactly the way you want to remember your European debut, but for the 19-year-old it was an occasion that served not only as a landmark moment in his fledgling career, but one which underlined the strength needed to compete at the very top end of the modern-day game.

Fast forward the clock a few months and the talented scrum-half is not only more ensconced into Rob Baxter’s first team plans, but he’s also poised to start in the cauldron-like atmosphere of the Stade Marcel Michelin this afternoon (2pm).

Defeated in their opening three fixtures of this season’s European Champions Cup, the Chiefs have regrouped well in recent times, recording not only a first-ever Champions Cup win in France against Bordeaux last month, but they followed it up last weekend by ending the qualification hopes of Ulster at Sandy Park.

From being bottom of the pile in Pool 5 after four games, now they find themselves in the unexpected position of potentially qualifying for the last eight, that is providing they can win against their French hosts today and that results elsewhere go their way.

As last season’s final day exploits proved, stranger things can happen, and Baxter will send his team into battle knowing they have nothing to lose, yet everything to gain.

For Maunder, it’s a challenge he is clearly relishing, particularly as he will be coming up against French international Morgan Parra in the battle of the respective number nines.

“We saw last year what can happen on the final day,” said Maunder, the son of former Exeter captain Andy Maunder. “All we can really focus on us is ourselves. Things will happen if it’s meant to be, but right now all our focus is on putting in a performance the Chiefs can be proud of.”

Certainly the Chiefs are in much better shape than that of October’s meeting between the two sides at Sandy Park. On that day, the Top 14 visitors were in tip-top form and Baxter’s side struggled to cope with the threat brought by the Frenchmen in pretty much every department.

It proved a pivotal moment in Exeter’s season so far, a point where the squad and coaches as a whole re-evaluated certain things. Since then, the upturn in results - and performances for that matter - has been clear to see.

“Sometimes it take a loss like that for you to look in the mirror at yourself and think that I need to get better and focus on a few areas,” explained Maunder. “Since that game in October, the boys have been on top form, playing some great rugby.

“As I said, we’re all really looking forward to this weekend. Going to France is always an awesome experience, but we know it’s also very tough at the same time. Our aim will be to go out there, put in a performance we can be proud of, and hopefully make some more memories along the way.”