Chiefs team to face Welsh

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter insists his side will be going "flat out" in their pursuit of further Aviva Premiership points when they face newly-promoted London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

Baxter's side will head to the Oxfordshire venue for the first time this weekend not only looking to bounce back from their narrow 24-21 setback at Northampton Saints a week ago, but at the same time bidding to inflict more misery on the Exiles, whose life in English rugby's top flight has so far resulted in defeats against Leicester Tigers and defending champions Harlequins.

Like the Chiefs in 2010, few expect Lyn Jones' side to offer any significant resistance in their maiden Premiership campaign. However, Baxter (pictured) knows better than most how such predictions can be defied and has warned his squad to show due respect to Welsh.

"I have watched their games so far and I can see they are learning as they go along," said Baxter. "All they have to do is make sure they learn at a speed that is quick enough to keep them competitive. They're a good side, like everyone at this level, and they are pretty solid upfront, particularly in the scrum which always gives you a way into the game.

"They also play a pressure defence with some big hitters in there who can put pressure on you around the contact area, so all those things can add up if things go right for you. Right now they've come up against two very good sides, so now my job on Sunday is to make sure they come up against a third very good side and that's what we have prepared for this weekend."

Having overseen the rise of the Chiefs from a Championship unit into that of an established Premiership club, Baxter knows the key ingredients needed to make the step up a permanent one.

"Right now there motivation is very high," he added. "They have played us before and when you have a bit of history with a club, quite often it creates a different situation. Our battle this weekend is to make sure the history works in our favour. We have had some tough old battles with Welsh over the years, so we know we have to respect them, but at the same time we have to attack the game and to do that we have to hit the game flat out and go for it."

Certainly that is the approach the Chiefs have looked to adopt in their opening two fixtures against Sale Sharks and Northampton Saints - the results of which have so far heralded six league points already in the bag for Baxter's side.

"What we have said this week is that every Premiership game is very tough and if you don't turn up in the right frame of mind, you're going to struggle," Baxter continued. "As I said, I don't think there is anything extra we can do in terms of preparation, other than go at it flat out which, if you do that,  you give yourselves a good chance. It's when you don't hit it flat out; the other thing you give yourself is a chance of losing.

"Going into Sunday's game, I don't think there is any more pressure on us, the team under pressure are London Welsh, primarily because if you have six points on the table after two games, you are in a lot happier place than a side with no points after two games. Yes, we'll be expected to perform up there, but at the same time we'll have go after it like any other Premiership game of rugby and go after London Welsh and make sure the Premiership for another 80 minutes at least is a tough place for them."

The Chiefs head into Sunday's encounter having to make one enforced change to their starting line-up as winger Josh Tatupu has been ruled out through injury. The Samoan international broke his ankle early in the second half of the game at Franklin's Gardens, so Fijian star Sireli Naqelevuki is promoted from the bench to start in the centre with Irishman Ian Whitten shifting to the wing.

The other change in personnel to the starting XV sees James Hanks come back into the second row at the expense of Aly Muldowney, who fills the void left by Hanks on the bench. There Muldowney will be joined by two newcomers in the shape of Jack Nowell (pictured) and Carl Rimmer, both of whom will make their first-ever Premiership appearances if summoned for action.

As always Baxter is keen to reward those who shine, both on the field and in training, and although the Chiefs suffered their first setback of the campaign last weekend, the head coach saw enough encouraging signs from his troops in the heat of battle to stick with a tried-and-trusted formula.

"We've said from the very outset this season that we look to hit every game flat out and take whatever comes from it," said Baxter. "What came last weekend was a losing bonus point. Obviously we would have liked more from the game, but I am not going to fault our effort and endeavour on the day. Looking back at the game, we got a couple of things tactically wrong on the day that hurt us, particularly in the first and last quarter, but for a  second game of the season it was a great game to work on and improve the side.

"Sometimes you need those types of game - I know it sounds strange - but say we had scored a try in that last passage of play to win the game, probably a few things would have got papered over that were genuine issues for us. In the end we came up a bit short, but we've dealt with those issues this week and now we will look to improve again.

"With things like that, you look at the bigger picture all the time. Sometimes if you get carried away with every performance you can lose your way. Looking at things globally, we beat Sale by a bigger degree than ever before in our opening game; then we've gone to Northampton and put in our best performance ever up there; so at this stage we have moved forward from last year. Now it's my job and that of all the coaches to keep that progression moving on as high a curve as we can."

EXETER CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE LONDON WELSH

15 Luke Arscott
14 Ian Whitten
13 Sireli Naqelevuki
12 Phil Dollman
11 Matt Jess
10 Ignacio Mieres
9 Will Chudley
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Chris Whitehead
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Tom Hayes (capt)
5 James Hanks
6 Tom Johnson
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Richard Baxter

16 Simon Alcott
17 Ben Moon
18 Carl Rimmer
19 Aly Muldowney
20 James Phillips
21 Kevin Barrett
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Jack Nowell