Rimmer ready for French reaction
When you knock over one of the king-pins of European Rugby, it’s somewhat likely that when your paths cross again, a response of sorts can be expected.
Well, just days out from their latest Champions Cup assignment, Exeter Chiefs prop Carl Rimmer is well aware that hosts ASM Clermont Auvergne are busy plotting their revenge.
Humbled 31-14 at Sandy Park last weekend, the French outfit will on Sunday welcome Devon’s finest to the Stade Marcel Michelin (4:15pm) in a game they know they must win if they are to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
A week ago all appeared to be looking good for last season’s beaten finalists as they led 14-3 against the Aviva Premiership club. However, tries from Exeter No.8 Thomas Waldrom either side of half-time, followed by further scores for Don Armand and Mitch Lees saw the Chiefs bag not only the win, but also a crucial four-try bonus point.
The victory, Exeter’s first over their illustrious French rivals, earned the Chiefs rave reviews, but Rimmer believes the success has made Sunday’s return leg even tougher.
Rimmer said: “I think we have made it about as hard as we possibly could for ourselves by beating them last week!
“If we hadn’t have beaten them, then maybe we could go over there and made things easier for ourselves, but there is absolutely no way they are going to be anything other than a force ten ready to go and make sure they even up the score.
“That alone is enough to keep your mind nice and sharp and know that this is not going to be an easy game by any stretch of the imagination.”
Indeed, the Chiefs will be looking to become the first team since Sale Sharks in October 2008 to win at the home of the French side and will be well aware that their last visit to Stade Marcel-Michelin in ended in a 46-3 mauling.
It was a very different Exeter side back then, though, with Rimmer one of the few survivors, but he will draw on that experience when Chiefs return this weekend.
“I remember that first time having not had much big game experience and walking out at Stade Marcel-Michelin and hearing the noise they were making and stuff like that – it gets the heart racing,” added Rimmer, who joined the Chiefs back in 2012 from the Cornish Pirates.
“We get it here, but the bigger the stadium, the bigger the crowd, the bigger the noise, but it does get you going for the game.
“It will take away some of the fear factor for the players that have played there before and you will know when you are going to get booed and jeered and stuff like that!
“But it was three or four years ago now, a very different team and a different make-up from both sides, so it is going to be a different experience no matter what. I certainly won’t be going over there and thinking: ‘I have played here before, this will be easy!’”
Rimmer continued: “It would be nice to be the first team to beat them [since Sale]. We want to be the team that goes out there and beats them, but they have a fantastic record wherever they go.
“They are a very good team and beating them here was great. But in terms of the media hype and everything like that, it needs to be put to one side so that we can now focus on this and our upcoming goal which is to go out there and do what no English team has done for quite a long time.”
