Euro display delights Baxter
By Mark Stevens
17/11/19
Rob Baxter was all smiles after he watched his Exeter Chiefs side kick-off their latest Heineken Champions Cup campaign a resounding 31-12 victory away to French hosts La Rochelle.
In a dominant display from the Devonians in their Pool 2 opener, tries from Dave Dennis, Tom O’Flaherty, Henry Slade and Sam Simmonds, plus 11 points from the boot of Joe Simmonds, ensured they headed home with all five points from the Stade Marcel Deflandre.
La Rochelle, unbeaten on home soil this season, struggled for large periods to contain the all-round threat of the Chiefs, who will now be looking to back this result up with an equally strong performance this Saturday against Glasgow Warriors, who themselves started with a 13-7 win at home to Sale Sharks.
Post-game, a delighted Baxter wasted little time in hailing the achievements of his players. He said: “You saw the real Exeter stand up today. There’s been no secret - and we’ve talked about it in camp this week - but the lads have kind of been waiting for today. In some ways that can be a little bit dangerous, as we saw last week against Bristol, and it can kind of hurt you. However, we stood up today, we stood strong, and you saw what kind of team we are all about.”
After what Baxter himself as described as a somewhat ‘stuttering start’ to the season, this latest showing appeared to have all the hallmarks of Exeter’s game being back on song.
“For me, it’s massively satisfying when you see the results of the hard work that the players are putting in,” added Baxter. “I think that’s the first time we’ve really seen it this season. The guys have worked exceptionally hard in pre-season, but we really haven’t come together in a jointed fashion yet this season. Today, I thought you saw that. We looked like a good side, a strong side, who were well worth the win.
“It was more clinical from us and it looked like the machine is back and purring again. We have talked a lot in the last three or four weeks about how we get the machine back online and how everyone plays their part in it. It’s not been for the want of trying, but some of the mistakes we have made recently have been from guys probably being too desperate and wanting to move us on as a side.
“As I said to the players, we need to get everyone aligned, everyone on the same page, at the same time, and playing with the same intensity. Today, I think you saw that.”
The first half scores from Dennis and O’Flaherty gave the Chiefs the perfect 14-0 buffer heading towards the break, but it was an equally vital defensive set that the visitors put in on the stroke of half-time that proved just as important, according to Baxter.
“I’m not going to say it was the turning point of the game, because we were already up by then, but it was certainly a key factor. I think the way we defended just before the break, where we kind of forced La Rochelle in to doing things which, on reflection, they will probably rue, was was very important.
“For us to come in at half time, still in the lead, having kept them to zero on the scoreboard, it was a fantastic situation for us to be in. When you are sat their in the changing room, knowing there are only 40 minutes left and the you in charge of the scoreboard, it does give you more energy to go out and attack the game. I think you saw that especially in the third where we were just fantastic and took the game away from La Rochelle.”
But for as good as this win across the English Channel will be for the Chiefs, Baxter says it’s imperative his side now back this performance up against the Warriors this weekend at Sandy Park.
“Really, what this result has affectively done is, we’ve broken serve,” he continued. “If you look at how the pool works, we’ve come away from home and we’ve broken serve by getting the win here. Now, what we’ve got to do is ram that home by getting the win against Glasgow next week. This result has given us a great step forward, but now it all comes down to next week.
“Where we are now is, we’re in a nice position. We’ve got the bonus of all five points and we can go home and recharge for a little bit. As I’ve just said to the lads, let’s not focus too much on next week right now, let’s enjoy today and what created today. I want us to reflect a little on those feelings we felt to make today happen and then come Monday, lets’ make sure we use those feeling to drive our intensity going into next week’s game.”