Chiefs side to face Bath
By Mark Stevens
20/9/19
Rob Baxter says his Exeter Chiefs squad are ‘chomping at the bit’ to kick-off their season against Bath in tomorrow’s Premiership Rugby Club clash at Sandy Park (3pm).
In what is a later start to the domestic campaign - due to the current Rugby World Cup in Japan - Devon’s finest will be hoping home advantage provides them with the perfect springboard for a successful 2019/20 season.
“I think we’re ready for it,” said a defiant Baxter this week. “But I think a good pre-season should be like that. The guys should be chomping at the bit and ready to go.
“We have timed things pretty well, we’ve not had them in too long, we’ve given them plenty of time away - which I think is important because it keeps them physically and mentally fresh - and it’s got them to the stage now where they want to knock each other around a bit. Training has become a little bit more physical and as coaches we now have the chance to see all of them in a game scenario, playing under pressure, playing with referees, and we can see first-hand how some of the things we’ve worked on are going to go.”
With six of the first-team squad currently in Japan with their respective countries, plus a number of others still working their way back to full fitness following summer surgery, it will be a somewhat youthful-looking Chiefs side that take to the field tomorrow.
Experience is provided by skipper Gareth Steenson and the likes of wingers James Short and former Bath flyer Olly Woodburn, whilst up front new signings Jannes Kirsten and Stan South will get their first outings in Exeter colours.
Baxter has made no secret of the fact that he plans to use this four-game block of Cup fixtures as the launchpad for the club’s Premiership and European aspirations. However, it will offer everyone the chance to impress over the coming weeks.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how each side attacks things over these first four weeks,” added Baxter. “Anyone who has seen Sale’s side for this weekend - it’s pretty much full on!
“Anyone who looks at our selection for this weekend will see it’s not exactly full on, but at the same time we’ve given lots of people an opportunity. Everyone is going to use it a little bit differently - and I think that is going to be the beauty of the competition this year. It’s going to create some interesting challenges.
“I think the big thing for me is it’s going to be fantastic to see some of our young players potentially being challenged against some very good players, maybe even international quality players, and that really gives them the best opportunity to stand up and show us what they are made of. That’s what I want to see, I want to see which players get it right, not just individually, but collectively as well.”
Baxter continued: “These games, especially when it’s not going to be perfect, are when you start to see the character come out in people. Sometimes players can look around and think it’s not going to go too well today and find the reasons for it to go wrong, Others guys who have strong characters, they are the ones who find the reason for it to go well and that’s what I want to see this weekend and moving forward.”
Standing in the way of the Chiefs first up will be old foes Bath, who the Chiefs Director of Rugby knows from past experience will be no pushovers.
“We’ve never had easy fixture against them. I’ve said it many times in the past, they are the team we took the longest to beat in the Premiership. Obviously the game has the added edge of it being a local derby, it’s going to be competition, but I’m really looking forward to it and seeing how our new and some of young players go.
“This is where it starts for all of us and will give us that gauge of where we are at. We’ll be able to see how pre-season has gone, where the guys are at physically and like I said, it’s a genuine opportunity for some of our lads to make that breakthrough and look to push to get into that first Premiership squad.”
Tickets for tomorrow's game are still available by clicking here
CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE BATH RUGBY
15 Max Bodilly
14 Olly Woodburn
13 Tom Wyatt
12 Tom Hendrickson
11 James Short
10 Gareth Steenson (capt)
9 Sam Maunder
1 Billy Keast
2 Jack Innard
3 Marcus Street
4 Jannes Kirsten
5 Stan South
6 Josh Caulfield
7 James McRae
8 Rus Tuima
16 Jordon Poole
17 Danny Southworth
18 Alfie Petch
19 Cory Teague
20 Lewis Pearson
21 Joe Snow
22 Harvey Skinner
23 Barrie Karea