Hepher 'pleased' with Ulster win

By Mark Stevens
21/8/2016

Ali Hepher believes Exeter Chiefs are moving in the right direct after they continued their build up for the new season with a 25-19 victory over Ulster Rugby at Sandy Park.

Having brushed aside the Scarlets 45-3 seven days earlier, the Aviva Premiership outfit were given a much stiffer examination from the Irish province, who they are set to face twice more this season in the European Champions Cup.

The Chiefs dominated for long periods of the game and secured victory thanks to tries through Don Armand, Will Chudley, Damian Welch and a Penalty Try. Fly-half Henry Slade converted the latter, as well as a second half penalty to complete the home side’s scoring.

In reply, two late tries from Rob Lyttle helped to give the scoreline a more flattering look for Ulster, the replacement wing galloped over twice in the final ten minutes, while fellow flyer Jacob Stockdale claimed their other try with a touchdown in the first period.

For the Chiefs, though, it was another decent work-out as the countdown to their seasonal opener against Wasps on Sunday, September 4 looms ever larger on the horizon.

“It was certainly a level up from last week,” said assistant coach Hepher at the final whistle. “There were bits in there that we can be really pleased with. Some of our combinations are really starting to come together, but we just need a little more work to fine tune a few things and be a bit more clinical.

“Today, I thought we created some great opportunities which, when we look back at the video next week, we probably let go. That said, we’re in a good position right now. We’ve won two out of two and some of the stuff we are producing is really encouraging.”

Buoyed by the return of many of their international stars, as well as summer signings Greg Holmes, Dave Dennis (pictured below) and Ollie Devoto, it was a powerful array of Chiefs talent that took to the field for their second of three pre-season.

All three newcomers impressed on debut, while others took the opportunity to impress watching head coach Rob Baxter, who will give his players once final run-out this Friday away to the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Post-match, Hepher admitted it was ‘disappointing’ to leak the late points, but says the Chiefs are moving in the right direction.

“We’re still a work in progress on some of the stuff we’re doing,” he added. “We need to see it in games to see if it works or if we need to make any adjustments. If we do need to tweak one or two things, we’ll do that and we’ll be a better side for it next week.

“As I said, we’re playing well, today was another good pre-season performance against what was a very strong Ulster side. As a club we want to be tested like that, we don’t want to be undercooked going into the new season. That is why we treat every pre-season game like it’s a league game.

“We want to win them, win them well, and we want to make the same decisions as we would in any league game. Overall we’re pleased with a lot of what we did today, we’re just a little disappointed to have let those tries in at the end.

“We know we need to fine tune what we do on the field, but it’s starting to come. There is still a bit of work to do, but let’s get on and do it and see where we are.”