Defeat will drive us on, says Lees

By Mark Stevens
30/5/2016

Mitch Lees insists Exeter Chiefs will use the disappointment of defeat at Twickenham to drive them forward next season on all fronts.

The Devonians were unable to claim a first-ever Aviva Premiership title as Saracens ensured themselves of a league and European Cup double thanks to a 28-20 success.

Having dominated the first half to lead 23-6, Saracens had to withstand a storming fightback from Rob Baxter side’s, who cut the deficit to just three points thanks to converted tries from Jack Yeandle and Jack Nowell.

The champions, though, dug deep for one last time and they wrapped up success in the dying minutes when Alex Goode added to first half scores from Duncan Taylor and Chris Wyles to end the Exeter resistance.

It was a bitter pill for the Chiefs to swallow, but Lees insisted he and his team-mate could look back on what has been an outstanding campaign for the club.

"We have come up short, but we are happy with how our season went and it pushes on for next season to have that hungriness top go even further," said Lees. "All credit to Saracens they are the kings of Europe and they have done the double. For them, they have probably had their best season. They have got a great squad and congratulations to them. For us, we are not happy to lose to a side like them but you can almost take it when it is a team that is playing that well, who are also so dominant in Europe."

Indeed, the way the Chiefs performed after the break showed Exeter are not a million miles away. However, they will reflect on their opening 40 minutes at headquarters where they were unable to fire any decent shots at Mark McCall’s side.

Lees admitted post-match that the half-time pep talk highlighted the need to change things and, so it proved, it had the desired effect as the Chiefs came roaring back at the Londoners,

"We had a good showing in the second half and show what we are about, but we probably blame ourselves in the first 30 minutes as we kind of let the game get away from us," he said. "We didn't bring that intensity that we needed.

"We had a good chat at half-time and we said 'that wasn't us and we have to go and show our fans and everyone out there that we are better than that and that we can play good rugby'.

"So we went out there and really took the game to them; we got a bit more physical, played more in their half and really fed off errors and made them make errors. I think our set-piece really stepped it up as well – compared to what it was in the first half – and it was just unfortunate when they scored that last try. I think a couple of lads just put their heads down because we were so close, but we have still got to be mentally tough for next season and drive it on."

Certainly the huge Exeter Chiefs support that helped to make up the crowd of 76,109 would have no complaints at the way their side performed in the end of season showpiece.

"It was on another level," admitted Lees, who will now gear up to be part of the England Saxons squad for their impending summer tour to face South Africa. "You could hear the whole Tomahawk chop echoing around the stadium. It was nice and there must have been more of our supporters than theirs – you could tell that just from the noise – and it is hard because all the fans have made the big journey out here to see a show and that is what we said at half-time we are not giving them what they came here for. So we really tried to step it up in the second half and I think the second half showed what we were about."