Woodburn targeting last four

By Steve Grace
4/2/17

Olly Woodburn and Exeter Chiefs have a fine recent history in the Anglo-Welsh Cup having finished as champions and runners-up the last two times it was staged.

And the winger admits that anything less than the full five points will probably not be enough against Bristol tomorrow (3pm) if they are to continue that fine tradition.

A thumping win over Wasps last time out meant that Ricky Pellow’s young side are well-placed to top their Pool and make the knockout stages.

But they must match or better the in-form Ospreys who take on Wasps also on Sunday at the Ricoh Arena.

And Woodburn revealed his side head to Ashton Gate on Sunday desperate to do what it takes to repeat the heroics of previous years in this competition.

“We need to put in a big performance to get those five points to give us the best chance of going through,” said the winger.

“The team are excited about this week, especially coming off the back of last week where we had some really good individual performances and a very good team performance.

“Attack and defence will be extremely important this week, if we come out on top in both areas then in a close game that could be the decider.

“Our history in the competition makes it a bit more real for us, you look at when we won it before and some of the young guys in that team have come through and are in the team now.

“So the younger guys this time around will want some of that for themselves.”

A number of Chiefs youngsters put their hands up in the 52-5 thumping of Wasps at Sandy Park last weekend.

But there were two players in particular that caught Woodburn’s eye and the winger has marked them out as Chiefs stars of the future.

“The Simmonds brothers definitely impressed,” he added. “Joe has been very steely at ten for us in this competition, he has got a great boot on him as well and has started to control the game really well.

“And then Sam (Simmonds) in the back row is incredibly explosive, if you saw his try on the weekend you would know – it had people standing up and applauding when it was up on the big screen in the team meeting this week.”