Yeandle set for new season to start
By Mark Stevens
4/10/19
It’s been four months since Jack Yeandle last led the Exeter Chiefs into battle, but the experienced hooker is aiming to lead from the front in tonight’s Premiership Rugby Cup clash at Worcester Warriors (7:45pm).
Yeandle, like many of those on duty this evening, have yet to taste any competitive action since narrowly going down to Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final at Twickenham in early June.
However, he is one of 14 starters for this third round game who will kick-off the game at Sixways as Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, looks to get his first-team squad up and running with the new Premiership season looming large on the horizon.
“I'm looking forwards to getting back out there, it’s been a very long pre-season,” said Yeandle. “Some of the lads have been able to get onto the pitch and break themselves in during the first two rounds, whilst some of us have been sat watching, so we're looking forward to getting out there and giving it a good crack.”
The Rugby World Cup in Japan has meant a delayed start to the domestic season - and with no real pre-season fixtures being played by top-flight clubs - the Premiership Rugby Cup is seen as the perfect building block for a long season ahead.
“The pleasing thing about having a long pre-season is that it helps address things we want to tweak within our game,” added Yeandle. “It's also good to get a decent training block in you without your body getting destroyed from playing rugby. Right now I think we're happy with where we are, but now we’re looking to prove it on the pitch.”
Like the Chiefs, the Warriors won their opening fixture in the Cup against Leicester Tigers, but they then came unstuck against Bath a week ago.
Yeandle is aware of the threat posed by the Midlanders, but insists the main focus for him and his fellow Chiefs is on their own game, producing a top quality performance first and foremost.
“It's about how we go out there and perform,” he continued. “We’ve got the structures in places, so now it's a big opportunity to go out there and grab the shirt with both hands.”
“It was only small things really, but it proves how small details make a big difference to the end result that we want, hopefully that's been addressed and look for a better performance level this weekend.”
Three men who have already bagged some game time are newcomers Stan South and Jordon Poole, together with South African duo Jannes Kirsten and Jacques Vermeulen, the latter of whom grabbed a try on his debut against Leicester Tigers a week ago.
“The boys have come in and brought into the Chiefs style straight away, which is a really pleasing thing,” continued the Chiefs skipper. “The South Africans have come in and are crushing guys in training. They are keen as mustard, which is good to see, they just need to do it to the opposition now!
“Likewise, Jordon has come in and done really well, throwing it about as well. He's learning all the time, but it’s great to see all of them come in and buy into what we do here.”
Indeed, Yeandle says have quality competition within the ranks will only help to drive standards up amongst the playing group.
He said: “It's brilliant, and that's what we want throughout the squad. We want that competition because at the end of the day the more competitive training is, the better the performance, and end product we can get from the weekend.”