Chiefs are on a high, says Sturgess

By Nick Warren

Brett Sturgess thinks Exeter Chiefs can go into the festive period on a high after winning an eighth game in a row.

Saturday’s 41-17 defeat of La Rochelle kept them top of their Challenge Cup group, with four matches in the Premiership to focus on now.

They head to Sale on Friday before taking on Bath at a sold-out Rec on December 27.

And Sturgess, who started both games against La Rochelle over the past fortnight, thinks the fringe players have kept the momentum going.

“We’ve managed to get most of the squad playing, which is important for the coaches and the players themselves,” said the loosehead prop.

“It’s also important to keep the momentum from what the guys have been doing in the Premiership – you don’t want to come into the side and let that slip. We definitely managed to do that and will go into the Christmas period on a high.”

Saturday’s win, which followed a 36-10 success away from home, came after a great start from the hosts saw them score two tries in the first six minutes.

First Kai Horstmann forced his way over, then Greg Bateman was driven across the whitewash by the rest of the pack.

Fetu’u Vainikolo also dotted down before a penalty try brought up the bonus point as the Chiefs led 27-3 at half-time

Tom James and Adam Hughes crossed in the second half, with Ceri Sweeney kicking 11 points.

Sturgess said they knew it would be crucial to get off to a decent start to get on top of La Rochelle.

“After going away and beating them last week, it was important we had a good start because you never know what side’s going to come, especially with a French team,” he said.

“They had not much to lose and that made them dangerous; banging in a couple of early tries meant we could settle into the game and we grew from there.”

He added: “We knew if we started well and the tempo suited us, wearing them down, we could do well. It was nice from a forward’s perspective it was nice to get the bonus point try with a penalty try, right at the coal face.”

As 35 players have been involved in the last three games, there is a lot of competition for places this week.

The players will have a shorter training week with the match at Sale on Friday evening, but Sturgess said it was a good place to be right now.

“If you’re playing you have that added intensity. You train to play and if you’re not playing it is a bit harder, but you’re trying to support the guys,” he said.

“At the moment there are smiles on faces and it’s a good place to be. We’re fighting on all three fronts and that’s important with the squad we’ve got because it means there are competitive games all the time.

“If boys are not playing in the Premiership side there are still games for everybody as we’ve got the A League match against Bath and it would be nice to keep the momentum going there as well.”

After playing Sale and Bath, Exeter host Gloucester before a trip to face London Irish. A week later they return to European action with the deciding match in the group against Connacht.

Sturgess said the players are delighted to be involved in games that matter at the top of the table.

“It’s a massively important month now. We’re up there to be knocked down,” he said “It doesn’t get any easier, we know it’s hard to go to Sale, then we’ve got the game after Christmas against Bath and the players they have to pick from are unbelievable.

“Then we’ve got the Gloucester game back here and London Irish away before we’re back into Europe with Connacht away. The games keep coming thick and fast but that’s what we want as a club, we want every game to be massively important.”