Last season it was a pleasure to watch Exeter Chiefs progress all the way to the final day of the domestic season. Yes they fell short at the last hurdle but throughout their campaign they delighted us with their all around game. The Chiefs pressed on from the season before and their focus ahead of the 2016-17 season is to maintain their fundamentals, improve and deliver once again.
Rob Baxter is an astute man and leader and he knows that a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction to their Premiership final loss wouldn’t help the club at all. At the recent Aviva Premiership launch he talked about ensuring that Exeter didn’t have an ‘under or over reaction’ to that final 80 minutes of the 2015-16 season. The Chiefs were outplayed for the opening-half and looked like rabbits in headlights, but they hadn’t been in that situation before and were playing against a much more experienced outfit. But, their ability to rectify the situation on the job was a credit to the playing group and staff and should be noted. Of course they’ll be frustrations from that match but they should have been left back in the immediate aftermath of the game. Now, their Director of Rugby’s focus is very clear and that's to ensure that they're fully focused on the ‘foundation elements’ of what the Chiefs do and what makes them strong. Once they have been re-cemented he simply wants to ‘build that house a little bit higher’ in order to take the next steps.
As a squad Exeter, like their fellow Premiership finalists Saracens, are settled in terms of their personnel on and off the field. The Chiefs have recruited lightly and instead will be looking to their core group to take the season by the scruff of its neck. All of the firepower and elements that made them great last season; an unstoppable driving maul, their fluidity in attack and their strong set piece should be present again. Ollie Devoto’s entrance provides plenty and allows Rob Baxter with some fantastic options to play about with at 10, 12 and 13. The former Bath man's presence will create competition day in, and day out, with his team mates and his personal desire will be to gain plenty of game time and maintain a positive position in the eyes of England selection team.
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Exeter’s opening six games aren’t for the feint-hearted (see below) and they start with a rematch of last season’s Premiership semi-final and European quarter-final. Matches between Wasps and Exeter rarely do the blood pressure of their respective Directors of Rugby or fans any good but for the neutral they exhilarating. Rob Baxter is clear about their approach for the season and it matches last. His side have to make sure that they deliver consistent output, make Sandy Park their fortress and win every single one of the matches that they are expected to win. It’s that that type of consistency allows teams to pick up the points required to put them in the right place in the table and then add on top of that the big scalps.
This pre-season at Exeter Chiefs has been a focused one to ensure that as a squad they are all acutely aware of their roles and that the club's core values are firmly in place. Sensibilty the Chiefs aren't reinventing the wheel just because they didn’t quite find enough in the Premiership Final, instead they’re ready to build and develop again with another season of experience under their belt.
Opening Six Matches: Wasps (A), Saracens (H), Harlequins (H), Bristol (A), Northampton Saints (A), Gloucester (H)
Key Focus: Navigating past a difficult start to the season and focusing on what makes Exeter Chiefs a successful and dominant Premiership side.
Key Focus: Navigating past a difficult start to the season and focusing on what makes Exeter Chiefs a successful and dominant Premiership side.
Ones To Watch: Can Thomas Waldrom make it three seasons in a row as the competition’s top try scorer? Looking forward to seeing him have a go! Also key an eye on the midfield combinations as mentioned and how Henry Slade evolves again this season.
In: Dave Dennis (Waratahs), Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby), Greg Holmes (Queensland Reds)
Out: Jack Arnott (Cornish Pirates), Chrysander Botha (Released), Alex Brown (Perpignan), Adam Hughes (Dragons), Josh Jones (Salford Reds), Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks), Jerry Sexton (London Irish), Lewis Stevenson (Connacht), Brett Sturgess (Retired), Jake Woolmore (Jersey).
