Welch promises to meet "fire with fire" for battle against Gloucester Rugby
Damian Welch insists he and his Exeter Chiefs team-mates will have to meet "fire with fire" when they face Gloucester in Sunday's Aviva Premiership encounter at Kingsholm (2pm).
Having been left licking their wounds following their 21-9 defeat to Leicester Tigers last time out, the Devon club are well aware a similar display against the Cherry & Whites cannot be repeated if they are to stand any hope of victory.
A disappointing first half against the defending champions saw the Chiefs trailing 15-0 at the interval - and although the Chiefs were much improved after the break, they had left themselves with too much to do in terms of securing any kind of reward.
Head coach Rob Baxter admitted after the game that he felt his players were somewhat afraid - not physically of the challenge, but more so of making the game a contest and being brave enough to take Leicester on - and that he has emphasised to his players in preparation of Sunday's match up.
Welch said: “That first 40 minutes [against Leicester] wasn’t the Chiefs, that’s not the way we play, not how we train to play and not how the coaches expect us to play. We feel we let ourselves down, let the fans down and a few people down. The best way to turn that around and prove to everyone that we are a good team is to go out and do the opposite against Gloucester.
“With the Premiership, you’ve always got a big team and another big test around the corner. As big teams and big tests go, with a lot of history, it doesn’t get much bigger than Gloucester. It’s the right kind of game for the team at the moment bearing in mind how we performed against Leicester.
“We’re going into a bear pit and you either put up or shut up. The way we were discussing things in the team meeting on Tuesday, I think everyone’s ready to put up.”
Gloucester are renowned as one of the division's top sides and although they possess razor-sharp backs in the likes of Freddie Burns, Jonny May, Charlie Sharples, Henry Trinder and James Simpson-Daniel, it's up front where 31-year-old Welch insists the visitors must gain the edge.
“They’ve got a nice physical pack, a big set of boys, and we obviously know all about their backs from the last game of last season when they were on fire,” said Welch, recalling Exeter’s 40-39 win in May.
“We’ve got to remember our own pack is pretty physical too, we’ve got some extremely physical ball carriers like Dave Ewers and some big ruck hitters. We’re going to meet fire with fire in that department. We’re aware of the threat they pose, but we’ve got to make sure we’re the pack that’s being discussed after the game.”
And among those that the Chiefs will no doubt look to in leading the charge is the highly-rated Ewers, who has manfully stepped up to the role of filling the void left at No.8 by the retiring Richard Baxter at the end of last season.
Welch is among the growing list of admirers of the former Ivybridge Community College student, who has progressed through the club's Academy ranks to now become a starter within the top flight.
“I think he’s one of the lads with a big future ahead of him,” said Welch of the 22-year-old. “It’s not very often that a guy with his physical make-up comes along in terms of the raw power, and the strength and speed that he has is phenomenal.
“I can only see him going one way and that’s up. With ball in hand he’s a nightmare for teams to play against. He’s one of those guys you want on your team week in, week out.”
Words by Mark Stevens
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Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club/Pinnacle Photo Agency
