Hendrickson targets rapid response
By Mark Stevens
12/2/22
Tom Hendrickson says he and his Exeter Chiefs team-mates will use the hurt of last weekend’s last-gasp loss to Wasps as the fuel to fire them into action against Gloucester today.
Paulo Odogwu’s try deep into added on time helped Wasps to pull off what seemed an unlikely victory with less than ten minutes remaining at Sandy Park.
Not for the first time this season, it meant more late heartache for the Chiefs who, it has to be said, had given everything for much of the contest, only to be pipped at the post.
Now, the hard-running centre wants to see a response from today’s encounter and spelt out the burning desire that exists within the home camp ahead of kick-off.
“Obviously, we were bitterly disappointed at the end last week,” said Hendrickson. “It’s happened a few times this season, games where we have lost it in the red, so if we can turn that around, then we could easily be picking up those four or five points each time.
“This weekend we have a chance to go again and right some of those wrongs. It will be tough, we know that, Gloucester are a good side and in form, but equally we always back ourselves here at home.”
Buoyed by defeating the Cherry & Whites in the corresponding fixture back in October, Hendrickson says the Chiefs are hoping to replicate that feature with another powerful performance in front of another bumper Sandy Park crowd.
“We have to move on quickly, we can’t dwell too much on last week,” he added. “We beat them up at their place earlier in the season, so they’ll be looking to come here and enact some sort of revenge on us.”
With a number of the first team squad again missing for various reasons, a plethora of Baxter’s other players will once again get their chance to take centre stage, including Hendrickson.
“It’s always the same this time of year, players are going to get their opportunities and it’s up to them to take it,” he continued. “I’m one of those being afforded that opportunity, so it’s important we look to take it.
“For anyone in the squad, our goals and aspirations don’t change in any way. We all want to achieve the same aims and although we’re a little bit behind the top four, we’re not a million miles off it!
“Across the league it’s tight wherever you look and with lots of games still to go, there is still lots for every side to go after, including ourselves. As I said, our goals haven’t changed in any way. We’re in a good place, on and off the field, and we’re looking to go hard, whether it’s in the Premiership or in Europe.”