Baxter rues missed opportunity

By Mark Stevens
7/1/17

Rob Baxter admitted his Exeter Chiefs side missed an opportunity to inflict a rare home defeat on reigning English and European champions Saracens at Allianz Park.

Although the Chiefs led 10-3 at the break courtesy of a Gareth Steenson penalty and a converted Jack Nowell try, the Devonians could not make their pressure and numerical advantage pay in this top four encounter

Saracens, who had to play for over an hour with 14 men following the early dismissal of prop Richard Barrington, fought back valiantly in the second half, rescuing a share of the spoils courtesy of a converted try from Titi Lamositele five minutes from time.

Post-match, Baxter could not hide the fact that his side should have departed the capital with an important victory.

“I think we have to be disappointed,” said Baxter. To play with 15 men against 14 for so long and to get a little bit of space on the scoreboard and not convert more of the chances we created, especially five metres out, has ultimately cost us.

“We also have to be disappointed that Saracens controlled much more of the second half than we did. This was a top four clash and to have that happen to us is something we will undoubtedly have to talk about next week. It has to be something that burns a little bit, just because opportunities like this you work extremely hard for, and you need to take them when they come along.”

Whilst the Chiefs will look at missed opportunities, they will however reflect on a positive three-week period that has seen them claim victories over Leicester Tigers and Bath, as well as claiming this latest draw against Sarries.

“I think the massive positive to come out of today was that probably for the first time in three or four games against Saracens, I thought we hit the pitch with a greater degree of intensity than they did,” added Baxter. “Personally, that pleased me more than anything else we did today because it showed we turned up in the right mind-set and that whatever happened today, I knew we were going to be competitive.”

In what was a powerful opening salvo from Baxter’s side, it was their early pressure that helped create the situation which led to Barrington’s red card. A heavy carry from lock Geoff Parling was halted by a high forearm from home skipper Brad Barritt, but in the subsequent collision Barrington - on his 100th appearance for the Londoners - shoulder charged the England and British Lions lock, knocking him in the process.

Parling departed the field on a stretcher, while Barrington followed him to the sidelines, after referee Ian Tempest consulted with the TV match official Sean Davey.

Thankfully, Parling was up and about shortly after and was able to watch the game from the Exeter bench, but sadly his team-mates could not capitalise on their advantage. Steenson saw two penalty chances sail wide of the mark, while Don Armand saw a certain try go begging just before the break when he spilled the ball on contact just inches from the home line.

“This may sound silly, but I am not sure who the red card suited more,” said Baxter. “We know Saracens are a very good side, very single-minded and very disciplined, but I just think when the red card came, it just made things very simple for them. They went to eight forwards, took a back off, and just said they were going to back their forwards to take control for them. Fair play to them, I thought they did it very well.

“They worked extremely hard round the setpiece, extremely hard around the tight carries, and they ultimately did enough to win the game, so full credit to them for that. From our perspective, though, we should feel more frustrated that with 15 men, we didn’t have more control in that second half.

“We had it in the first half and if Don Armand dots down or we convert one or our other chances, it could easily have been a much different game. As I said, fair play to them, they put the squeezed on us and in the end got the field position to convert that match-drawing try.”