Chiefs side to face Cardiff Blues
Rob Baxter wants his Exeter Chiefs side to wrap up their Heineken Cup campaign in style when they travel to Cardiff Blues in tomorrow's final Pool Two fixture at the Arms Park (3.40pm).
With European qualification hopes of any kind all but extinguished with last weekend's 15-10 home loss against Glasgow Warriors, the Chiefs are still determined to prove their worth in European Rugby's top cup competition and record a notable double over the star-studded Blues.
At Sandy Park in October, Baxter's men produced a devastating first 40 minutes to blow aside the Welsh region. Not only was the all-important bonus point accrued by half time, but it gave Exeter a dream start to their second season in the Heineken Cup and left Cardiff nursing a bad case of the Blues.
Since that performance, Europe hasn't gone quite to plan for the Chiefs who have suffered double losses against both Glasgow Warriors and reigning champions RC Toulon. However, Baxter has been buoyed by several displays throughout the season and believes his players have again benefitted from their exposure to this level of rugby.
"I think the whole experience has again been good for us," said Baxter. "In every game we've got something out of it, so we have to make sure we do like we did last year, which was to use our Heineken Cup experiences to knock on us in the Premiership for the rest of the season.
"For us, this weekend's game is a very important part of that and whatever we do up there we have to make sure we are a better team for it. Over the years we've tended to be much better in the second half of seasons because we have added a couple of things based on that big game experience and playing in tough games.
"One of the big differences this year is that we have now had extra players who have come through full Heineken Cup campaigns. Guys like Jack Nowell and Dave Ewers, they hadn't done that last year. Also people like Damian Welch, he's had a full year; Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ben Moon, they've experienced playing at this level, so if you work your way through the team, we now have guys who have had some big game experience and they'll only get better for that."
Baxter added: "If we can wrap this campaign up with a win at the weekend that will put us on two wins like last year and ends things off nicely for us. Looking at how we've done, we were definitely a lot closer to the French club this year - and that's a positive in itself because we had a bigger one this time as they were the winners last year.
"It still annoys us a little bit that we didn't make the most of the opportunity here against Toulon because we played very well without getting the result. Over there we were very competitive and I think it would have been closer in that earlier period had we not shipped that mystery try that went in. Having said that, both Glasgow games were tight and potentially if we had been more in the hunt and gone full on last week, it was certainly a game we could have won.
"Of course we're not happy that we're not winning as many games as we would like, but at the same time we are realists. We do look at the results and we've had a lot of less than one score losses against some very good sides. The focus for us is on seeing the picture for what it is and not panic, rip things up and start again because a lot of things we do work against everyone to within a score. For me, that's not a bad foundation for us to be working from for the rest of the season."
However, Baxter is aware overcoming the Blues on their artificial 4G surface will be no pushover and has warned his players to expect some form of backlash following their earlier season beating.
"There is no doubt that wouldn't have been happy with that and they will have talked about it as part of their motivation this week," said Baxter. "We know it's going to be a tough game, we have trained well this week and we've very open and honest with each other about getting better and wanting to deal with those demons of not quite finishing games off. As always I am pretty comfortable we will go up there, perform well and, as I always say, we'll take what comes.
"I know there are one or two scenarios about us potentially qualifying for the Amlin, but from our perspective what is important is just playing well. We have looked at these four games as something a little bit different and a way of freshening up the squad and looking at a few different things. To a degree that went pretty well last week and if we had done a little bit more and forced a win, having made a few changes and giving guys and some game time, I think we would have been really pleased with it.
"As it was, we came up a little bit short against what was a good Glasgow team. Right now I think we are pretty comfortable with where we are as a squad. We will make some changes again this week, which is what we said we would do, and obviously because it's a different surface it will be a quicker and different game to last weekend."
True to his word, Baxter has again tinkered with his squad for tomorrow's test recalling Jack Yeandle, Dean Mumm, Dave Ewers and Don Armand to the pack; whilst behind Gareth Steenson comes in at fly-half meaning Henry Slade switches to the centre alongside Sam Hill. On the bench, former Cardiff players Ben White, Ceri Sweeney and Tom James are included as is Jason Shoemark and James Phillips, the latter of whom is back following a short loan spell with the Cornish Pirates.