Chiefs side to face Harlequins
By Mark Stevens
18/10/19
It’s been a long time coming, but at last the waiting is over and for Exeter Chiefs the start of a 10th season in the Gallagher Premiership is set to kick-off with tomorrow’s visit of Harlequins to Sandy Park (3pm).
Weeks and months of planning will now be finally put to the test for Rob Baxter’s side, who having narrowly missed out on lifting English rugby’s top prize back in June, are looking to start this latest campaign on a winning note.
Buoyed by some encouraging showings in the Premiership Rugby Cup, where Devon’s finest have already pocketed themselves a home semi-final against Harlequins in early February, it’s the bread and butter of the league which will now take centre stage for the Chiefs.
Indeed, nine years on from securing their elevation to the top table following victory over Bristol in the inaugural RFU Championship Play-Off Final, the Chiefs have since established themselves as one of the Premiership’s leading lights.
Four successive appearances in the end of season showpiece at Twickenham underlines their ever-growing status, but as Director of Rugby Baxter warned this week, nothing should be taken for granted by either himself, his players, or the club itself as they ready themselves for at least 22 rounds of intense battle.
“You have to look at seasons as something you have to enjoy,” said Baxter. “Each year you have to take on the new challenges and relish everything that comes your way. I often keep reminding myself that we worked for years and years and years to get anywhere near the Premiership, let alone into it, so when you do get there, the most important thing is that you make sure you cherish it, because it’s a fantastic competition to be involved with.
“Playing and competing week in, week out in the Premiership, it doesn’t get any better than this. Anyone who knows rugby will know no Premiership points are collected easy. Harlequins, we know, are a good side, with good players, who will stand in front of us regardless of what we do or how we play.
“They will be tough, but you can say that of every opponent in the Premiership. In any game, there will always be an attritional element, so we have to stay strong, we have to stay focused, and if you do that,more often than not you come away with a positive result.
“Looking at the guys now, I think all of us are really looking forward to the game, going out there and showing the best of ourselves, in front of what should be a big home crowd and producing a performance, because that is what will give us a foundation to work from.”
Last season the Chiefs got their campaign off to a dream start, winning their opening eight Premiership games, including their seasonal opener against Leicester Tigers at Sandy Park 40-6. It was not until Round 9 - away to Harlequins - where they suffered their first league loss of the season.
That was one of just five defeats the Chiefs suffered during the regular season - and Baxter knows the Londoners, under their head coach, Paul Gustard - will pose a decent challenge first up.
“Up at their place, they thoroughly deserved to win and they out performed us on the day,” said the Chiefs leader. “We were better here at home and we showed more of our true qualities that day, but that too was a hum-dinger of a game and it was tough. That, though, is what games of Premiership Rugby are like now.
“Like ourselves, Harlequins are an ambitious side. They will want to be targeting top six, top four, and seeing what more they can take from there. That is what the competition should be all about, it should be about tough games. We’re not here for walkovers, because if we were, there would be no point in playing. That is what I want to see from our lads, I want to see an enthusiasm and hunger that they want to play in a really tough game and, hopefully, that they come out on the other side having achieved everything they wanted to.
“I always say, the first few rounds are always interesting because you look at the table after the first and second rounds, and if Week One you’ve won your first game, you’ll be in the top half of the table, and if you’ve lost you’re in the bottom half.
“Week Two you can be still very much in the top half or you can be stuck adrift in that bottom three, so it’s always an interesting start to the season. What we do know is, everyone starts with zero points, so you’ve got to start working very hard from the outset to collect points as that is what builds your season.”
Team news for the Chiefs ahead of tomorrow’s match sees Baxter stick with a largely unchanged starting XV from that which defeated Bristol Bears in the Cup a week ago. The sole change up front sees Dave Ewers (eye injury) ruled out, so Jannes Kirsten comes in for his Premiership debut alongside compatriot and fellow newcomer Jacques Vermeulen in the back-row.
On the bench, hooker Elvis Taione is fit again after picking up a knee injury during the summer whilst on international duty with Tonga, Sean Lonsdale is recalled to the match-day 23 having missed out last week, plus there is a first outing of the season for centre Sam Hill.
Having both Taione and Hill back in the fold is a massive boost for Baxter, who will also have been encouraged this week with the likes of Don Armand Alex Cuthbert and Stuart Townsend also returning to full training, plus summer signing Stuart Hogg set to check in for the first time after Scotland were eliminated from the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE HARLEQUINS
15 Max Bodilly
14 Tom O’Flaherty
13 Ian Whitten
12 Tom Hendrickson
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Joe Simmonds
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Yeandle (capt)
3 Harry Williams
4 Dave Dennis
5 Jonny Hill
6 Jannes Kirsten
7 Jacques Vermeulen
8 Sam Simmonds
16 Elvis Taione
17 Ben Moon
18 Marcus Street
19 Sean Lonsdale
20 Matt Kvesic
21 Sam Maunder
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Sam Hill