James hails squad effort at Chiefs

Welshman Tom James says the desire to push hard for silverware is a key motivator for the Exeter Chiefs as they look to attack on three different fronts between now and the end of the season.

With the Devon club currently sitting third in the Aviva Premiership, as well as in the latter stages of both the European Challenge and LV= Cups, the talented winger acknowledges he and his team-mates are entering a crucial period in their campaign.

Three successive league wins against Newcastle Falcons, Harlequins and Bath have placed Rob Baxter’s side firmly in the mix at the top end of the Premiership - and with winless London Welsh next on the agenda this Saturday at Sandy Park (3pm), hopes are high the Chiefs can edge ever closer to cementing their place in the end of season play-offs.

However, the experienced James knows that games at this level are far from easy - and even though the bookies will have the Chiefs odds on favourites to see off the visiting Exiles - the Welsh international insists there will be no let-up from the Exeter players this weekend.

“They haven’t won many games this season, but we have stayed positive all week in training and not had any switch off moments because we have to make sure we do the job on Saturday,” said the 27-year-old.

“We did well last week [against Bath] and we have been on a high all week, but obviously we have to go out and do exactly the same as we did last week with strong carries and early exits.”

Having lost all 16 Premiership games to date, including an opening day 52-0 reverse to the Chiefs, it’s hardly been a happy return to the top flight for Justin Burnell’s side.

But as someone who knows Burnell well from his playing days back in the Principality, James says can ill afford to let their high standards slip.

“We have London Welsh this weekend, so we can’t switch off in any way,” he added. “For us as players, it’s really exciting and we have to push for those five points.”

James says Exeter’s success against Bath last time out was amongst the highlights of his career to date and said the support from the terraces was simply “unbelievable”.

“All week we spoke about doing the right things at the right time,” he continued. “We had never beat them in the league before, so to go out and do it last week was a great feeling for all of us.

“Even in the warm-up I’ve never had goosebumps like I did last week, the noise from the crowd was awesome, I loved it! Then at the final whistle, you only had to look at the boys and the fans to see how much it meant to everybody, it was an unbelievable feeling.”

Now the Chiefs must follow that up, not just by beating lowly Welsh this weekend, but in the coming weeks where Leicester Tigers offer the opposition in the LV= Cup semi-final and Newcastle Falcons are the visitors in the last eight of Europe next month.

And the powerful winger acknowledges that Exeter’s success this term has been down to every man in the squad playing their part.

James said: “I think it has been a real squad effort. I think everyone that is not in the 23 trains well, so whoever is in the 23 knows they will be pushed.

“Coming from the European and LV= Cup games, everyone is pushing everyone, all the boys are fit now, so I think it’s all down to a really good squad effort.

“I hadn’t played for seven weeks, so it was good for me to get a run of games in the LV= games and I think that’s what got me back in the team.

“Obviously Jack [Nowell] is with England and I will keep enjoying my games until he comes back or I can stay in the team.”

James added: “We have to get this game out the way on Saturday, then we have the LV= semi-final live on Sky which will be exciting and then the European quarter-final. The club is on the up.

“Like I said it is a squad effort and everyone wants to win trophies at clubs. The boys we have here really want to win stuff and we are all striving for silverware.”