Chiefs side to face Ospreys
Advancing into the last eight of Europe may seem a tall order for the Exeter Chiefs, but head coach Rob Baxter is refusing to give up hope and wants his side to finish their Pool Two programme on a high against the Ospreys today (Sunday) at Sandy Park (3:15pm).
Last Saturday’s 34-27 reverse away to Bordeaux-Begles means the Chiefs need to accrue maximum reward against the Welsh region this weekend, whilst hope results elsewhere in France between Clermont-Auvergne and Bordeaux-Begles fall in the right direction for them.
Whatever the outcome, Baxter’s side will once again have taken plenty from their endeavours in this season’s European Champions Cup, most notably downing Clermont and their array of international talent at Sandy Park back in December.
On Sunday, yet more stars of the world game will arrive in Devon looking to themselves book a passage into the last eight.
The Ospreys themselves down Clermont at the Liberty Stadium a week ago to put them top of the pile in the group with 16 points.
For the Welshmen to advance, however, they must first overcome the Chiefs on their own turf, not a simple task as it’s over a year since the Premiership side were last turned over by a visiting rival at Sandy Park. It’s a record the Chiefs are rightfully proud of and their esteemed leader is not willing to let it be broken without a fight.
Baxter said this week: “Our mindset is simply that it is a game at home at Sandy Park, so we are focused on winning it.
“Regardless of what the scenario over who can qualify or not is, it is a home game in the Champions Cup against a relatively local team. It is an English-Welsh game, there should be plenty of emotion there and that is what I am expecting. I am expecting us to play at our full potential.
“At the same time, it’s important we also get ourselves up and running and get the right group of players ready for getting back into the Premiership as well. If you look at all of that together there’s quite a few aims for us in this game, but fire and foremost we have to put a team out on the pitch which we feel will win the game.”
Having made 13 changes to his starting line-up last week, Baxter has taken the opportunity to bring back a number of his frontline stars for this latest encounter.
That’s not to say, though, that he wasn’t impressed by those who took to the field at the Stade Chaban-Delmas last time out.
“We knew it would be tough going over to Bordeaux, but we felt that group of players could come through that game,” added Baxter.
“As it was, we were almost proved correct. One defensive slip-up denies them a try or we collect a line-out and for the issue and all of a sudden it’s a fantastic win for us away from hime.
“Collecting a bonus point in France, against what was a very strong Bordeaux side, is still pretty good, but we know we were very close to getting the win as well.
Yes, we’re a little frustrated – not with the physicality or the endeavour the guys showed – but more other aspects of our play.”
And as for his team this weekend, there are changes in personnel from a week ago, not just because it’s a vital European clash, but also with one eye on future weeks and a relentless block of Premiership games. “We will select a different team because you would expect there to be a different team based on fitness etc,” added Baxter.
“But we are in a different scenario. We had a few guys who were out who are now fit and we had some guys who were rested who are ready and we also had some guys who did very well against Bordeaux.
“We will select the team which best suits what we want to do, which is win the game and settle back into the Premiership.
“A season isn’t built game by game. You do focus on what needs to happen that weekend to win but you also focus on what moves you forward as a squad and a team.
“Yes, it will focus on what we want to achieve this weekend but also on how we move forward as a squad and how the players are going.”
Among those getting a chance to impress again are young lock Jonny Hill (pictured), who made his European debut a week ago, while Dave Lewis keeps his place at scrum-half after a notable showing.
On the bench, Harry Williams is included for the first time in a Chiefs first team squad, whilst try-scorer in Bordeaux, Max Bodilly, offers cover in the back division
Chiefs side to face Ospreys
15 Phil Dollman
14 Olly Woodburn
13 Michele Campagnaro
12 Ian Whitten
11 James Short
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Dave Lewis
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Yeandle (capt)
3 Alex Brown
4 Jonny Hill
5 Geoff Parling
6 Kai Horstmann
7 Don Armand
8 Thomas Waldrom
16 Elvis Taione
17 Ben Moon
18 Harry Williams
19 Ollie Atkins
20 Tom Johnson
21 Haydn Thomas
22 Will Hooley
23 Max Bodilly
