Chapman thinks Chiefs are ready to test themselves in season opener

New scrum-half Charlie Chapman will come up against his hometown club when Chiefs face Gloucester on Friday night.

It will be a unique experience for Chapman as the Chiefs’ season opener marks the first time he will walk into Kingsholm as the opposition. The Gloucester-born boy previously represented his hometown club in over 90 appearances.

Chapman said: “It’s come around so quickly that it probably won’t feel as weird as I thought. I’ve got full confidence in the team, we’ve trained relentlessly for the last eight or nine weeks, so I think we’ve given ourselves a great platform for new guys to excel.”

It was an incredibly confronting experience for Chiefs the last time out at Kingsholm, and a result which Chapman and his new teammates are hoping to right in this first round of PREM Cup action.

Chapman said: “It’s going to be explosive, high attacking, high ball in play. They’re an incredible outfit with great players. They’ve had a good few new players come in so they’re probably facing similar to us, a bit of a rebuild.

“It’s going to be a bit of a test for both teams as we try to get our attack clicking. Again, we’ve both got passionate defences and passionate fans, so it’s going to be exciting as a test we’re ready for.”

The 26-year-old’s move to Devon in the summer marked his first club change in professional rugby but one which he felt was right for his future career development.

He explained: “We’re changing our style of play both sides of the ball, so it makes it all the more exciting when you’re coming to a team with a great history and a strong foundation of young players that are going to carry the club for many years to come.

“To be a part of that, especially now with what we’re building, was a really exciting prospect. I think this season is going to be a real stepping stone for what we’re looking to do in the future.”

Chiefs have certainly put in the tough yards to ensure that their preparations for the new season enable them to hit the ground running. Daily cardiovascular challenges and gruelling beach sessions have been implemented to create high strength and conditioning standards for the Exeter men.

Chapman said “Pre-season has been really good, I’ve enjoyed it. It’s definitely been different, but the boys have done well, we’ve grafted hard. The coaches have put in a great programme for us, so it’s been easy to settle in.

“The beach sessions are incredibly hard, but you reap the rewards for it. I think those sessions redefined us as a team though so hopefully fans will see the hard work show in the games coming up.”

Chiefs are on the road for their opening three games before returning to Sandy Park in the second round of the PREM against Newcastle Red Bulls on October 4. Tickets are available here.