Armand looking to the future
By Nigel Walrond
18/6/18
Exeter Chiefs back rower Don Armand says there will be a real burning desire to put right their Premiership final defeat to Saracens when they return to pre-season training early next month.
The Chiefs finished top of the league at the conclusion of the regular season, but they were well beaten at English rugby headquarters at the end of May as they went down 27-10 to the twice former European champions.
“We came into the last pre-season having won the title, and that was a good feeling, and now we go into this pre-season having not won the final, and it does burn a bit, so I think there will be a few motivated guys coming into pre-season,” commented the Zimbabwe-born forward.
“It is still a young, developing side and that is fantastic and the way some of the youngsters played last season was phenomenal, and that speaks loads for the future and the way the club is going. I think it is a really good aspect of the club and where we want to be.”
Looking back on the aftermath of the Twickenham defeat, Armand said: “There was a lot to be proud of over the season and I think the guys learnt a lot, going through the season, finishing top of the log and then going into a big game like the final, and I think that will put us in good stead going into next season.
“We lost to Saracens again in the final, but the feeling in the changing room after the game was different to two years before when we lost to them. There are different motivations now and we hold ourselves to higher standards, and the boys were really hungry to get back into it straight after the final had finished, and that is a good place to be.”
Analysing the game itself, Armand felt there were some key moments in the contest that swung the match Saracens’ way.
“We started the game right, but then there were a couple of decisions by us – one in terms of our game play, and secondly, Saracens were just clinical with certain opportunities where we weren’t,” he said. “They really fronted up in their forwards, and then they struck quickly out wide, and we got caught not being quick enough or not being in the right positions, and whatever it was, they were clinical when they needed to be.”
Exeter got the scoreboard back to 19-10 with 16 minutes remaining and looked on the verge of getting right back into the contest, but then made another mistake that cost them dear.
“We got into their 22 and then gave away a penalty, and that was a big moment in the game,” conceded Armand. “If we had scored there, it would have taken us to within a penalty of taking the lead, but with the penalty turnaround, we were suddenly back inside our own half, and conceding a penalty and that was a big game changer.”
The Chiefs said farewell to the likes of Thomas Waldrom and Lachie Turner after the match, but Armand said: “We said in the changing room afterwards that we couldn’t be prouder of the guys that played in the final and the guys who came up to support us, and there is a really good culture there that we are really proud of.
“As much as winning is lovely and the trophy is wonderful, I wouldn’t swap anyone in that changing room or want to be in another changing room. That was where I wanted to be; that was where we all wanted to be, and we are a good team all inclusive.”