Chiefs side to face Bears
By Mark Stevens
31/12/21
Rob Baxter insists there is nothing better than a local derby to welcome in the New Year for him and his Exeter Chiefs squad.
Refreshed and recharged having had a rare Christmas off, near neighbours Bristol Bears provide the opposition for Devon’s finest in Round 12 of the Gallagher Premiership at a sold-out Sandy Park tomorrow (4:30pm).
It’s a fixture that always whets the appetite for both clubs, but Baxter is hopeful it is one that helps kick-start what he hopes will be a strong second half showing for his side.
Currently sat sixth in the standings, the Chiefs have endured a somewhat mixed league campaign to date. Baxter, though, is not overly concerned and is confident that as the fixtures come thick and fast, so his team will ignite their fires and blaze into contention at the end of the season.
“Things are looking good,” he said. “We had Christmas off for the first time in years and the guys have come back in this week with a genuine spring in their step. Whether that’s because they’ve had time to recharge themselves or because it’s the start of a fresh year, I don’t know.
“However, what I am seeing is a group of players who look genuinely excited for the weekend.”
But it’s not just the players who will be excited, equally the club’s supporters will be swelled further by the opening of the new East Stand for the first time.
Baxter has watched with interest as the new construction has shot up around him during training sessions and matches over the past year.
“It looks fantastic,” he added. “For months now I’ve been stood on the field watching it grow in size and now with the seats going in, you can see the reality of it all and what it is going to bring to the club.
“It’s fitting that we’ve got a derby to kick things off, but it’s the team who will have to create the tone and the atmosphere, not the supporters. We have to be the ones who give them something to get excited about. We did it well here against Saracens and we did it well in the second half against Montpellier, but now we have to do it again this week.
“Bristol, we know, will be tough opponents. You only have to look at their performance last week against Leicester Tigers to see that. That wasn’t a performance of a side who are down the other end of the table. They could easily have won that game and nobody would have questioned anything.
“What we are seeing this season is a hugely competitive Premiership, where every game is a real challenge.”
And it’s that challenge from the Bears that Baxter is acutely aware of – particularly as Bristol’s only two victories over the Chiefs have come in the last two league fixtures at Sandy Park.
“We have got a bit of something to put right on that front,” warned the Chiefs boss. “We’ve lost our last two home games against them, so we have to expect a real top of the table clash. If we prepare like that, then I think we give ourselves every chance of winning the game.”
Team news for the hosts sees Baxter make two changes to the starting line-up that lost at Glasgow Warriors last time out. Up front, Sam Skinner moves from the back-row to the second-row with South African powerhouse Jannes Kirsten coming in at openside.
Behind them, the sole change in the back division sees centre Ollie Devoto return to the starting line up for the first time since the home game against Newcastle Falcons in early November. Irishman Ian Whitten is the man who makes way, dropping down to the bench.
