No time to relax, says Rimmer

 

Exeter prop Carl Rimmer admitted he didn't do much relaxing during their two-weekend break from competition such is his determination to reach the play-offs in his first Aviva Premiership season.

The 26-year-old made his 15th appearance in the Aviva Premiership this term as the Chiefs headed into their break with a 27-16 victory at defending champions Harlequins on March 2.

Before that they had ended a run of five Aviva Premiership games without a win with a 47-16 triumph over London Welsh with Exeter eighth in the table, eight points off Northampton Saints in fourth.

The Chiefs return to Aviva Premiership action by welcoming the Leicester Tigers to Sandy Park on Saturday evening (5pm), with the clash officially selling out on Wednesday afternoon.

And, with four games of the season remaining after the visit of Leicester to Devon, Rimmer, who joined Exeter from Cornish Pirates for this season, is desperate to keep their winning run going.

"We have been away for a couple of weeks but I never really relaxed because there is a job to be done. I wanted to get back into it and see where we stand and how we recover," said Rimmer.

"I didn't go away, I stayed around, and after the first week off we were back into training in the second and it was great getting back into it and preparing for Leicester.

"A lot is said for momentum in rugby and going away and picking up a result at Harlequins, the boys wanted to play the week after.

"Beating the champions on their own ground was a huge confidence boost and the aim is to pick up another win like that.

"There is everything to play for, Heineken Cup spots too, and we want to push forward. Having finished in the top five last season anything less than that is a step backwards.

"We have high ambitions to achieve and that is irrelevant to the time we've spent in the Premiership. Every game is an out and out must win for us."

As well as playing in 15 of Exeter's 17 Aviva Premiership fixtures so far this season, Rimmer featured in all six in the Heineken Cup in which they were competing for the first time ever.

And, while he acknowledges that the season is coming to a close, Rimmer insists it doesn't feel like it and wants to keep that sense going for as long as possible.

"I have been fortunate, touch wood, to stay injury free and that has helped obviously in securing a place. I have taken a step up and played more rugby than I expected to play," he added.

"As far as I am concerned it has been a great season so far but I still want to be competing at the end of it with the club. It doesn't seem a lot, five more games, but there is a lot to do and a lot of play for."