Williams set for semi-final showdown
By Mark Stevens
24/5/19
Harry Williams insists there is a feel-good factor around the Exeter Chiefs camp ahead of tomorrow’s Gallagher Premiership semi-final against Northampton Saints at Sandy Park (4:30pm).
Having booked their place in the last four in record-breaking time, Rob Baxter’s have enjoyed a mixed bag of performances during the final month of the regular season.
However, last weekend’s final-day victory - ironically against the Saints - meant that not only did they go into tomorrow’s tussle with a morale-boosting victory, but it ensured Devon’s finest of top billing in the Premiership for a second successive season.
England international Williams was part and parcel of the Chiefs side that won 40-21 last weekend - and he we again be on show from the outset as Director of Rugby Baxter sticks with a virtually unchanged squad for the contest.
The sole change in the starting line-up sees Tom O’Flaherty get the nod over Olly Woodburn on the left wing, while Alec Hepburn is recalled on the bench in place of Billy Keast having been forced to sit last weekend’s game out following a bang to the head.
Now, just one game away from returning to Twickenham for a fourth year on the bounce, tight-head prop Williams says it’s imperative he and his team-mates produce the goods in front of what will be another capacity crowd.
“We’re feeling good and ready to put in a decent performance at the weekend,” said Williams. “I think all of us are very focused and single-minded in terms of what our goal is.
“For us, the job is what it is. We played Northampton last week and we’ve got them again this week. I think it was a few years ago where we played Wasps on the final day and then we played them in the semi-final as well, so it’s all very similar in that respect. As I said, all we are worried about is giving a decent account of ourselves, staying focused, and putting in a performance.”
With little change in the home ranks, the Chiefs will be hoping to pick up from where they left off against the Saints a week ago. Although the two clubs were deadlocked at 21-21 at half time, the East Midlanders failed to control Exeter’s power game after the break and it was the home side who netted 19 unanswered points to run out comfortable victors.
Despite that win, Williams says no one within the Chiefs ranks will be taking their rivals for granted. Instead, he says a quality training week has helped to get the focus bang on ahead of this knockout encounter.
“There has been an edge around training,” he added. “It’s been a bit sparky, but I like that. I think as a group, though, we’re in a pretty good place. Having played in semi-finals and big games in the past, I think we’re all that little bit richer for those experiences.
“What we’ve learnt is that you don’t want to build-up for things too early, it’s about building your energy throughout the week. From my experience, if you think about big things too much, by the time you get to kick-off you can be a little washed out. We’ve had a good week’s training, the boys will have a bit of time to decompress, then we’ll come back in and get ready to go again.”
Certainly, Exeter’s home advantage and the fact many of the squad have been in this position previously will aid their cause, but so too will the burning desire amongst the group to lift the title once again.
Williams was part and parcel of the side that won the Premiership back in 2017 against Wasps, but he was also involved the year previous when Saracens edged out the Chiefs at English Rugby HQ.
Having experienced the highs and lows of both occasions, the 27-year-old forward knows which feeling he would love to replicate this time around.
“I’ve had that feeling of disappointment at losing out in a final,” he explained. “But what drives me, though, is not looking for revenge as such. What actually motivates me is the feeling we had two years’ ago when we won the competition. That’s the feeling that really stayed with me.
“For me, that was a far more profound experience than feeling bad after a loss. Losses come and go, but it’s winning it that you strive for. I don’t feel we’re afraid to fail, we are just desperate to achieve what we can.”