Baxter full of praise for his team
By Nigel Walrond
6/5/18
Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter praised his players for coming through a match with nothing riding on it with a convincing 41-17 victory at Harlequins.
“To be fair, it is a tough old challenge once you have got your home semi-final and then you knock off finishing top of the Premiership,” said Baxter. “It is a very hot day, a firm pitch, and you can understand the players having a bit of a reason for maybe getting it wrong mentally.
“And although we weren’t at our best, and I don’t think anybody would say that was a sparkling Chiefs performance, and it got a bit broken up by some mistakes and some poor play, overall we stuck at it long enough and worked hard enough to get quite a dominant win in the end.”
He added: “What our guys have done really well over the last few weeks is they have kept challenging themselves, because ultimately, the 80 minutes some of them have got under their belts today will be very important for them come two weeks’ time in the semi-final, and that is what we have done well, because the best time to practise working hard is actually on the pitch on a Saturday.”
One of the most pleasing aspects of the display was the showing of back rower Dave Ewers.
“I thought he was very good, and that was one of the most rampaging games I have seen from him for a while, so that was really, really pleasing, and I thought he really drove some of our physical intensity and physical intent, which is what we asked of the players,” he said.
“Joe Simmonds is doing exceptionally well for us as a young guy who has come into the team and is having to play such a pivotal, driving role, but people don’t want to forget that Gareth Steenson is not going away, and I thought he came on did very well as well.
“They are tough decisions on who is selected, and I thought Gareth was outstanding against London Irish a couple of weeks ago. We have got tough calls to make there, and to be honest, I am going to have a really good look at them in training on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, because I am not standing here now saying I know who is the number one fly-half at the club.
“Joe is in charge of the shirt at the moment, but Steeno is a very good player who is training very well and is determined to get back in the team, and that is exactly what we want, we want him to fight and we want that competition in a few positions in the team.”
