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Rob Baxter explains what it means for the Exeter Chiefs to get over the hump and make the Champions Cup quarterfinals
Rob Baxter admitted it was a “hugely satisfying” feeling after Exeter booked a home quarter-final in the Heineken Champions Cup.
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The Chiefs’ 33-14 Pool Two victory over La Rochelle at Sandy Park means they will return there for a last-eight clash – possibly against Saracens – in early April.
The Chiefs were not at their best early on, but they ultimately cruised to a bonus-point victory and secured a first European quarter-final appearance since 2016, when they lost by a point to Wasps.
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Number eight Sam Simmonds led the way with two tries, while hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, flanker Dave Ewers and substitute scrum-half Stuart Townsend also touched down, with Simmonds’ brother Joe kicking four conversions.
“We were kind of in the box seat (before kick-off), and the other team were coming with relatively little pressure and an ability just to play, and you could see how difficult it can be,” Exeter rugby director Baxter said.
“We showed that in the first half. We didn’t really have that emotional, edgy, very physical, very driven type of performance we’d had through the other rounds in Europe.
“At half-time, we just simplified things and talked about getting out there, being emotional, being tough, being prepared to knock ourselves around, and it looked like two different teams playing out there.
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“That is a great credit to the players. They took it into their own hands, and five points in another Champions Cup game is not to be sniffed at.
“It is hugely satisfying (to be at home in the quarter-finals).
“It gives us everything we want out of the competition, which is an opportunity for as many of our supporters to watch it as possible, and it obviously cuts down on the travelling.
“When you get to the last-eight in Europe, you are not going to have an easy game.
“There is not going to be a team that is not quality. It’s going to be a humdinger, whoever we play.
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“On the whole, I thought the team grew through the performance.
“To not concede points in the second half (it was 14-14 at the interval) after not defending well at all in the first half was very pleasing. It showed the qualities we can play at.”
La Rochelle claimed an early touchdown by wing Kini Murimurivalu, which Ihaia West converted, while they were also awarded a penalty try.
But Exeter were unstoppable during the second period, with England internationals Sam Simmonds and Cowan-Dickie in outstanding form ahead of Eddie Jones’ Six Nations squad announcement on Monday.
Assessing Simmonds’ performance, Baxter added: “He is a pocket-rocket. He is very powerful.
“What I like about him is he is becoming one of our leaders. He is out there driving things on the field and demanding things of the team around him.”
Don’t mess with Jim – Episode 5:
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Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments