Armand targets big response
By Mark Stevens
12/12/17
Don Armand says Exeter Chiefs can use the hurt of a first home defeat in a year as motivation ahead of this weekend's European Champions Cup clash with Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.
With the two clubs set to meet for the second time inside a week, the reigning English champions will head to Dublin looking to re-ignite their European aspirations having come unstuck 18-8 at Sandy Park on Sunday.
Leinster's victory not only ensured they kept their 100 per cent record in Pool 3, but has now put them six points clear of the Chiefs and Montpellier, whose victory at Glasgow last Friday, has put them level on eight points with Exeter.
Tries from Johnny Sexton and Jack Conan proved pivotal for the Irish province, who became the first side since Bordeaux-Begles last December to emerge victorious from Devon.
Post-game, England international Armand spelt out the disappointment within the home camp, saying: "Of course it hurts, it was a hard game to play, but it also sets up nicely for next week to see how we rise to the challenge.
"We know we're not a million miles away, but we were a bit inaccurate - especially in the first half - and they put in some good sets of defence to keep us out. They took us to the wire throughout, but we probably didn't do ourselves any favours either."
In what was a physical, yet absorbing contest, it was the experience of the visitors they finally told as they pulled clear in the final quarter to secure the victory.
"We can't deny they posed us a physical challenge, which we needed to step up to," added Armand. "At times we did it, but also it took us a little while to really get going in the match.
"You saw when we did put some phases together - and we started to play Exeter rugby - that was when we got some reward. We needed to stick that plan a bit more, but full credit to them they worked hard and they made it tough for us out there."
Now, Armand and his team-mates must use this week to ready themselves for the return leg, a fixture which should be equalling compelling in the large expanses of the Aviva Stadium.
"It's going to be a huge occasion and something we really need to reset ourselves for," continued the 29-year-old. "As a group we need to rise to the challenge and go there and do exactly to them what they have just done to us."