Chiefs side to face Bath
By Mark Stevens
5/3/21
Westcountry bragging rights will be put on the line tomorrow as Exeter Chiefs prepare to take rivals Bath Rugby in their latest Gallagher Premiership encounter at the Recreation Ground (3pm).
At what is the start of the second half of the league campaign, Chiefs’ Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, this week spelt out the importance of this next month of action, insisting this four-game block is ‘as big as it gets’ for him and his side.
Starting with tomorrow’s trip to the Roman City, the defending champions will then entertain Harlequins and Leicester Tigers on successive weekends, before rounding things off at the end of the month with a trek to Gloucester.
“This is a really important four-game block,” warned Baxter. “Looking at it, it’s as big a block as we have had this season. We’ve got two local derbies, where travel is limited, then two home games in the middle of it. What we need to do is lock ourselves down, collect as many points as we can, and look to come out in the top four at the end of it.”
Despite narrow defeats in their last two fixtures against Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks, Baxter’s side are still in the top two and in prime position to attack the second half of the season.
Tomorrow, however, they come across familiar foes in Bath, who have won their last three Premiership matches, their best run in the competition since September.
“They are one of the form teams, if not the form team, in the Premiership right now,” said Baxter. “That in itself will make them confident in what they are doing and difficult to beat.
“We went to Bath early last season and lost in a year where we did incredibly well, so the danger signs are there for us. That said, what we have to do first and foremost is focus on ourselves and make sure we do all our things well.
“Although we’ve lost the last two games, we’re actually not in bad form ourselves. We went three wins on the bounce, lost by a point [against Northampton] and then got a losing bonus point away from home at Sale, having played for an hour with 14 men. We’re not falling apart by any means!
“What we have do, however, is keep ourselves on that upward path of progression and look to accelerate through this period now to ensure not only do we points to ensure we are where we want to be in the Premiership, but also give us that drive and momentum for when the Heineken Cup restarts next month.
“I want us to get ourselves in good form so that we run in to the Heineken Cup, which will be knockout rugby from here on in, in the best possible shape we can be, then come out of that with something really tangible to fight for in the Premiership.
“And as I’ve said to the lads this week, this is a really exciting time of the season for us, so let’s get excited ourselves and really go after these games.”
The Chiefs will be buoyed ahead of kick-off with the news that international trio Tomas Francis, Jonny Gray and Stuart Hogg are all available to start tomorrow’s encounter. Scottish duo Gray and Hogg both start the game in place of Sean Lonsdale and Josh Hodge, while Welshman Francis is named amongst the replacements.
The only other change in personnel to that which took to the field at Sale see Jack Innard come in at hooker for suspended club captain Jack Yeandle, who was given a three-week ban for his red card against the Sharks.
Baxter admits he’s delighted to have the Six Nations trio available – albeit for this week only – as well as Jannes Kirsten, who is named amongst the replacements having recovered from his fractured eye socket.
“It definitely helps increase options for us, particularly across the back five,” said Baxter. “That said, I think our back-row have been fantastic in recent weeks. The shifts that the likes of Dave Ewers, Richard Capstick and Sam Simmonds have put in have been incredible. Equally, Sam Skinner has taken on a lot on his shoulders as well. As I said, I have been very impressed with what they have done and achieved.
“Having Jonny return helps things out this week, as does having the two South African boys [Jannes Kirsten and Jacques Vermeulen] being fit. It creates that depth that allows us to have some options and a bit more depth and thickness to that area. Having them back, though, is only good if we get them playing well on the same sheet as the rest of the guys.
“The focus this week – and moving forward – is ensuring that all the guys are focused on how we want to play, rather than who is in the team.”
One man who won’t be featuring, though, is England and British Lions winger Jack Nowell, who is set for more times on the sidelines after Baxter revealed he had sustained a tear in his hamstring.
“Unfortunately, Jack has had another issue as he has got back into full training, so I think it is going to be a little while before we see Jack,” Baxter said.
“At this stage, it is a bit early for me to give you the full extent of the injury. It is just one of those things.
“We kind of held Jack back for a week to give him a couple of weeks of full training. And unfortunately, later on in the second week, it was just one of those things: He pulled up with another injury and now we are going to have to wait a little while longer to get him back to full fitness.”
Nowell won the last of his 34 England caps during the 2019 World Cup in Japan, while he toured New Zealand as a member of the 2017 British and Irish Lions squad.
And Baxter does not believe that Nowell’s hopes of making the Lions squad to face South Africa this summer will necessarily be affected by not playing Test rugby.
“He is a guy who loves playing rugby, loves training and getting on with things,” Baxter said. “And obviously he has got some concerns that this probably means he won’t play international rugby this [season], and there is a British and Irish Lions tour at the end of this season he is desperate to be involved with. He is very aware of those things.
“Without doubt, I know the Lions management will be looking at players beyond just those playing international rugby, especially those who have played international rugby recently and only haven’t been involved because of injuries like this.
“I am very aware his Lions selection will not only be decided on whether he has played for England, and the only thing I can encourage him to do is stay energised and rehab well and come back strong, and there will be enough rugby left with Exeter.
“Hopefully, we will be in those big games where he can showcase his talent. That is the only thing Jack can aim for now.”
EXETER CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE BATH RUGBY
15 Stuart Hogg
14 Facundo Cordero
13 Ian Whitten
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Joe Simmonds (capt)
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Innard
3 Harry Williams
4 Jonny Gray
5 Sam Skinner
6 Dave Ewers
7 Jacques Vermeulen
8 Sam Simmonds
16 Elvis Taione
17 Ben Moon
18 Tomas Francis
19 Sean Lonsdale
20 Jannes Kirsten
21 Stu Townsend
22 Harvey Skinner
23 Tom Hendrickson