Baxter hails professional display

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs will have an all-English quarter-final showdown with Newcastle Falcons in April to look forward to after clinching the No 2 seeding for the knock-out stages in this season’s European Challenge Cup.

The Chiefs notched up a six-try 45-3 win over French visitors Bayonne at Sandy Park to secure priceless home advantage in the prestigious knock-out stages and, having gone out in the last eight 22-17 to Stade Francais in 2012, the Devon club now have the chance of shooting for an historic semi-final spot.

"A home quarter-final is something we haven't experienced before in any of the European cups, so that will be fantastic for us," said head coach Rob Baxter.

"What we've got to hope now is that we can get a big crowd in here and put in a good performance that will potentially keep the European Challenge Cup alive for us for as long as possible."

In a professional display from the Aviva Premiership club, Baxter watched on as his side held an 11-0 lead at the break courtesy of Jack Nowell’s fourth-minute try and two penalties from fly-half Henry Slade.

It could easily have been more, but a combination of stout defence from their Top 14 rivals and some inaccuracies in attack meant Bayonne were still somewhat in contention at the turn, despite the Chiefs dominating both possession and territory in the opening 40 minutes.

The second half, however, was a much different story as the home side added five more tries through Matt Jess (pictured), Dave Ewers, Kai Horstmann, Carl Rimmer and skipper Dean Mumm.

Replacement Gareth Steenson converted three of their scores, whilst Slade exchanged penalties with Bayonne full-back Martin Bustos Moyano.

Post-match, Baxter praised his side’s patient approach, particularly given their first half frustrations when chances came and went.

“What we did really well was avoid getting frustrated. We had some good opportunities that we didn’t quite take and that’s when you can get frustrated and make a mistake and the opposition score a soft try,” said Baxter.

“We controlled territory very well, we made a lot of good decisions on that score, and gradually we exerted more and more pressure and the tries came.

“That’s what we’ve got to get used to as a team; quite often we feel happy when we’re battering away and winning the game quite early on, but the truth is in most top-flight games you have to put a lot of ground work in like we did today and ultimately the scores came late on.”

Throughout the Chiefs proved miserly in defence, restricting Bayonne to few visits into their own 22. Indeed, it took until the 39th minute for the French team to finally salvage their first meaningful attack.

Baxter added: “You have to build your season on a solid defence and that was most pleasing thing for me. It would be very easy to get carried away with people saying they had nothing to play for and they weren’t bringing a strong team, but any 15 we put on the pitch out of our 38 registered players would fight tooth and nail to win a game.

“I’m sure it would be the same for them. Yes, we weren’t as clinical as we liked at times, but we have come through a game and put in a very professional display.”

With Baxter and his team set to put Europe on the back burner now until April, the Chiefs hope to use the next fortnight of LV= Cup action [against Dragons and Saracens] to not only utilise their whole squad to the max, but at the same time maintain their recent winning momentum.

“We’ve got to use the LV sensibly,” explained Baxter. “We’ve got a few injuries bodies at the moment and a few guys with a lot of game minutes under their belt, so there will be one or two changes over the next two weeks.

“At the same time, we’ve got a number of exciting players who will get a great opportunity to show what they can do. Guys like Sam Simmonds, Sam Skinner, Max Bodilly, Tom James and Fetu’u Vainikolo, they’ll all get their chance.

“As I said, it’s an exciting mix that we will be able to put together and a group who we know all want to go after a couple of big wins.”