'We promised this wasn’t what we were going to be about'

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter felt his side’s remarkable second-half revival in their draw at Northampton fulfilled a promise he made to supporters after the disappointment of last season.

Chiefs finished ninth in the Gallagher Prem in the previous campaign, suffering some heavy losses on the way, and looked set to be in for more of the same when they trailed 33-7 at the interval on Sunday.

Two of Saints’ tries came from 19-year-old Italian winger Edoardo Todaro on his league debut, but the hosts stalled after the break and the visitors stormed back.

Baxter said: “I said we promised this wasn’t what we were going to be about.

“I also said to them the one thing I promised everybody at the club, and every supporter who’s asked me what’s going to happen this season, I promised them wins, I promised them points, I promised them a good place in the table, I promised them we would be a more competitive team.

“That’s the only thing I promised people who are going to watch us and that was what I wanted us to stand up and look like.

“Our choice was to stand up and be counted or roll over, and fair play to the players, they went out and they played the second half.

“We kept Northampton pointless, we’ve probably created more opportunities to win the game than they did in the end.

“I’m delighted we showed the character to get back into the game.”

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s opening try looked set to count for little as Northampton cruised into a big lead thanks to scores by Alex Coles,

Tom Pearson, Todaro (two) and Tom Litchfield.

But Paul Brown-Bampoe’s try started the Exeter fightback, which was continued by a Ross Vintcent brace before being completed by Feyi-Waboso’s second of the afternoon.

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said: “We went from 33-7 at half-time, feeling pretty good and then a very, very poor second half.

“We didn’t look after the ball, we invited opportunities for them in our 22, they’re a very capable side and they flipped the game on its head.

“Across the board, we were not looking after the ball and giving them opportunities, and with their back three, who are particularly good at counter-attacking, I think the whole job lot was hugely disappointing.

“We felt really confident [in the first half] and we showed what we are capable of, and for it to drop away so quickly is clearly a concern.

“We were flying, we looked dominant, both up front and in the back line, but second half we just couldn’t get any rhythm going and time and time again we either gave penalties away or gave the ball up.”