Chiefs have point to prove - Hunter

By Mark Stevens
15/1/17

Exeter coach Rob Hunter insists the Chiefs have a point to prove, even though qualification out of Pool 5 in this season’s European Champions Cup looks all but beyond them.

With just two rounds left in the initial qualification phase, the Chiefs sit bottom of the pile with just six points accrued from their opening four games.

Victory last time out in Bordeaux-Begles has been the highlight so far, but home defeats to ASM Clermont Auvergne and Bordeaux-Begles, plus a last-gasp defeat to Ulster Rugby has left the Devonians with plenty to ponder.

Today, however, they welcome Ulster to Sandy Park in a fixture Hunter insists has “plenty on it” for both sides.

Having lost once in their last eight games - that being the 13-7 loss to Bordeaux at Sandy Park last month - it’s been an impressive revival of sorts from the Chiefs, who will now be looking to end their European escapades on a high note.

Ulster, on the other hand, will arrive in the Westcountry hopeful that a victory this afternoon, coupled with success next week on home soil against Bordeaux, can give them a fighting chance of making the last eight.

In essence, it means this latest clash between the two clubs has all the makings of being something special, and Hunter is determined the Chiefs play a lead role in ensuring they produce a performance of note.

“There is always a point to prove,” said Hunter. “It’s a European Champions Cup game at home and we’ve yet to win here in Europe this season. That, I would say, on it’s own is our biggest driver going into the game.

“We want to come our at home this weekend and put on a performance that not only we can be proud of as a squad, but the people who come to watch can go away and say ‘I was there’ when we played Ulster at home.”

In what is a third meeting between the two clubs, the Chiefs won a pre-season friendly 25-19 at Sandy Park, before Ulster enacted some revenge at the Kingspan in October, winning 19-18 in Round Two of Europe thanks to a last-gasp drop-goal from fly-half Paddy Jackson.

Reflecting on that night, Hunter added: “The game earlier in the year as a real tough game and a bit of a heartbreaker for us right at the end. It came in a period where, if we’re honest, we weren’t playing our best rugby, but that game we felt was the turning point in our season. It was when we started to see a real shift in the intensity we brought, not just to the game, but in training as well, that we felt we needed to be really competitive.

“As for Sunday, we’re looking forward to it. As I said, it’s a big game for us, especially as we are at home, but it’s also a big game for them as well. We know they’ll come here knowing they need a victory - and probably a bonus point one as well - so we have to be ready to meet that challenge head on.”