Turner targets big finale
By Mark Stevens
2/5/18
Lachie Turner says Exeter Chiefs have still yet to hit top form, despite securing top spot in this season’s Aviva Premiership with last weekend’s home win over Sale Sharks.
Although there is still one game to go in the regular season away to Harlequins this Saturday, plus a home semi-final against either Newcastle Falcons or Wasps to follow later this month, the Sydney-born back believes there is still time for the Chiefs to fine tune their game plan.
Eight successive victories have helped Rob Baxter’s side to create decent momentum in recent weeks, but Turner believes there is still more to come from him and his team-mates as the Premiership campaign hits its final run-in.
“To finish top at the end of the season is a big achievement for the club,” said the Aussie international. “We’ve put a lot of emphasis on being consistent throughout the year and you can see that now at the back end of the year. The Sale performance wasn’t probably our best of the season, but we showed a lot of traits that have got us to where we are in the table.
“Again, there is room for us to grow and all the signs are positive moving forward. As a group we know we’re not at the top of our game and that we can be better. Teams are going to challenge us over these next few weeks, so there is still lots to work on. At the same time, it’s exciting for us considering where we are and what we want to achieve.
“The game against Sale was a great test for us because they are a side who are chasing things themselves and who came down here with the second most bonus points in the league after us. We knew they would come at us and that we’d have our work cut out at times. Unfortunately, there were times where we slipped up mentally and allowed them back in, but we got through it, we worked hard, and although we weren’t perfect, I know we’re in a great spot moving forward.”
A trip to the capital awaits the Chiefs this weekend, after which they will have a two-week build up to focus their attentions on a third successive Premiership semi-final at Sandy Park on Saturday, May 19 (3:30pm).
“It’s an exciting time for all of us,” added Turner, who signed for the Chiefs in 2016 following a short stint playing in France for RC Toulon. “For me, personally, to sit at the back and see the guys do their jobs and guts it out each week, is great. There are games where I have the best seat in the house, where I can spectate and watch the guys put in amazing performances.
“When we are on the ball – and I can’t really tell from full-back – we are a great side who play some unbelievable rugby. That said, none of us can take anything for granted and over these next few weeks we know we have to up our standards even more.”
Indeed, a defiant and focused message will be instilled into the playing squad by Baxter and his fellow coaches as they look to push the Devon club to even greater heights.
“The environment the coaches have created and the theme of the season, it’s been really consistent throughout,” explained Turner. “You’ve seen it come through right across the board, apart from Europe where we know we let ourselves down. Now, though, we’re at the end of the season and we’re exactly where we want to be.
“We know we’re not perfect, last weekend gave us a few reminders of that, but you don’t want to be perfect now. You want to be building over these next few weeks so that we hit real form going into that semi-final and, hopefully, a final after that.”
Although Turner did not feature in last year’s Twickenham triumph against Wasps, the experienced back has played a central role in helping the Chiefs to cement pole position in this season’s title defence.
He, along with every other member of the squad, are desperate to yield further success and will leave no stone unturned in their quest for glory.
“There are a few different guys this year helping to drive things,” he added. “Also, you’ve got guys coming through who didn’t have the most active role last year, and then you’ve got those guys who won it last year who want to go back-to-back titles. It means everyone in the team has something to play for.
“I’ve said it before, there is real hunger within this squad to achieve great things. We’ve got a 40-man squad here who are pushing each other Monday to Friday, sometimes more so than what teams have tested us this year, so it’s continually driving us to get better and better.”