Rob Baxter reveals surprising half time message in Chiefs' shock win

Exeter boss Rob Baxter revealed he was “really confident” his team could produce one of the greatest fightbacks in Gallagher Prem history and leave champions Bath stunned.

The Chiefs wiped out a 16-point interval deficit, scoring 17 unanswered second-half points to win 27-26 and book an appointment with Northampton at Allianz Stadium next Saturday.

It was only the seventh time in 46 Prem play-off games that an away team had triumphed, with replacement prop Ethan Burger’s 68th-minute try leaving Bath down and out and securing Exeter’s first appearance in the final since 2021.

“The first words I said at half-time were ‘I’m really confident we’re going to win the game’,” Baxter told TNT Sports.

“I watched the last five minutes of the first half and Bath were doing everything they could to just slow the tempo down.

“We actually worked them very hard for the scores they got, and as the half grew on, the fact that we didn’t let that growth get any bigger than the 16 points, the more it’s happening.

“The harder we were making them work, the more I kind of felt we would have time in the second half.

“I know we are fit, I know we’re resilient, and the harder they had to work, the more they were starting to flag and just taking their time getting back onside – all the things you can start to see in body language.

“I just thought ‘this is going to be our time’. If we were ever going to exploit it, it was going to be now.”

Exeter finished ninth in the Prem last year, with their defeats including a 79-17 loss at Gloucester, and Baxter added: “It might not be a final, but this is up there because of the bounce from last season.

“You look at the players fighting to a standstill – I don’t know how they did it. They are the same players who shipped 79 points at Gloucester, but they are different men now.

“Bath are a hell of a team, and the only thing that makes our performance worth anything is we have beaten a very good, well-coached team.”

Bath went through 40 phases of play during a frantic finale, but replacement prop Billy Sela was held up over the line, and Chiefs had made it mission accomplished.

Bath dominated the first half, scoring tries through Beno Obano, Thomas du Toit, Joe Cokanasiga and Henry Arundell, while Santi Carreras kicked three conversions.

But Exeter somehow turned things around following touchdowns from Christ Tshiunza, Ben Hammersley, Greg Fisilau and Burger’s 68th-minute clincher, with Henry Slade kicking three conversions and Harvey Skinner landing a penalty.

“Our intent was excellent in the first half, but we did not put them away. We left a few chances out there,” Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said.

“One point is the biggest and smallest margin in sport. We were set up for the drop-goal and to take it wide. Ultimately, the decision was taken to pick and go and I back the team with that.

“We win together and lose together. I am proud of what we have done. We will reflect tonight on the memories we have made.”