'Work still to do' - insists Simmonds
By Mark Stevens
28/3/19
If achieving a top four finish in this season’s Gallagher Premiership was Mission One, Exeter Chiefs can now switch their attentions to upcoming sorties between now and the end of the campaign.
Next on the ‘to do list’ for Rob Baxter’s side – who lead the table by nine points from defending champions Saracens – will be to secure themselves home advantage in the end of season play-offs.
One more victory from their remaining five league fixtures should be suffice for the Devonians to achieve that feat, but fly-half Joe Simmonds insists there will be no let-up from either himself or his team-mates as they chase title glory once more.
“We’re getting towards the end of the season, so it’s all very exciting,” said Simmonds. “Last year we didn’t get the result we wanted in the final [against Saracens] – and although we’ve not too talked too much about things, as players we know what we want, and that’s to be champions.”
Certainly, Baxter’s side have underlined their credentials this season, securing their play-off place in record-breaking time following last Sunday’s 24-10 home win over local rivals Bath.
Now, they are looking to try and better their tally of 85 points last season, as well as target the league record of 87, set by Saracens during the 2013-14 season.
Although without a game this weekend, the Chiefs are already hard at work, preparing for their upcoming trip to Leicester Tigers on Saturday week.
“We’ve had a couple of days off, but we were back in on Wednesday and now we’re gearing up for Leicester,” added Simmonds, who produced a man of the match display against Bath, this after he was called into the starting line-up during the warm-up after Gareth Steenson pulled up with a calf injury.
The Torquay-born playmaker was at his sizzling best, providing the on-field lead to another impressive display from the Chiefs.
“Coming in just before kick-off was a little bit of a shock, but I always prepare for games like I’m starting them, so it wasn’t too difficult for me,” said Simmonds. “Fair play, it was a good performance from the team. The forwards gave us a great platform and we were just able to capitalise on that.”
Exeter’s five-point haul ensured they secured their top-four placing and put a sizeable dent in Bath’s hopes of trying to edge their way into the play-off picture.
“Bath are a class outfit with some great players, but we’re a team who try to focus more on ourselves rather than the opposition too much,” explained Simmonds. “It took us a few minutes to get going in the first half, but once we did, we looked comfortable and we got the result we wanted.
“A lot of credit has to go to the international boys, they’ve got come back in with just a few days training, but they’ve gelled really well and helped us produce a really good performance.”
More of the same will be demanded when the Chiefs travel to Leicester, who themselves suffered defeat last time out, losing their East Midlands derby to Northampton Saints. That result has left the Tigers languishing in ninth spot, just five points clear of basement club Newcastle Falcons.