Chiefs side to face Sale
By Mark Stevens
1/10/21
Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, insists he is not despondent or “waiting for the cavalry” to return following his side’s winless start to the Gallagher Premiership campaign as he prepares to welcome back Stuart Hogg.
Last season’s beaten finalists have endured a sticky start to the new campaign, losing to both Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints in their opening two fixtures. On Sunday, they travel to Sale Sharks in what is another stiff examination for the Devonians.
Baxter, though, is refusing to get ruffled by the early setbacks and has told his players this week to just ‘get on with it’ and ‘not feel sorry for themselves’.
“I’ll tell you what I said to the players, which is we could easily have won that game last week had we been fractionally better in what we did,” he said. “Had we won, we would be in a position of one win from two and feeling pretty good about ourselves.
“Although we lost by two points in the end, a lot of what we did in that game very nearly won us it – and on another day we could have won and congratulating ourselves. So, as a coach, it’s important myself and the others approach it like that with the players because if we didn’t, then we’re not being true to what happened on the day.
“This week we’ve looked at the good and we’ve looked at the bad and now we just have to get on with things. As always, we’re a side that never gets heartbroken by a loss, nor are we a side who over celebrate a win. That mindset can’t change because once you become a side full of highs and lows, then you’re a team that doesn’t go anywhere
“Even in our double-winning season, we lost games of rugby, so we just have to pull our boot straps up, get on with things and not look to feel sorry for ourselves.”
The Chiefs have had to start the new season shorn of a number of their key names due to either unavailability or injury. However, Baxter’s picture is brightening with the Exeter boss able to welcome back Dave Ewers, Richard Capstick and Stuart Hogg into his starting line-up this week.
With England and British Lions trio Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill and Sam Simmonds also set to be made available from next week, it’s little wonder there is real optimism and enthusiasm within the group moving forward.
“We’ve got a few more players available this week and then we’ve picked up a couple of injuries as well. That’s how a season goes on,” added Baxter. “I’m not someone who looks around the corner waiting for the cavalry, we’ve got to get on with it.
“The sparks of wins are there – I’m not despondent and wondering what to do. But, at the same time, I’m also not going to be complacent enough to think a change of players will change things.
“You’ve got to work to improve all the time and whether it’s two games down (lost) or two games won, that scenario doesn’t change. Sometimes you’ve just got to take it on the chin and keep moving forward.”
Having such rich resources available will certainly be a boost for the Chiefs, whose focus here and now is on taking a sizeable chunk out of the Sharks league aspirations.
“Sale are a good side and whenever you come up against them, you know you’re going to be in for a tough battle,” continued Baxter. “We’ve been there before on good form, fully loaded and still lost the game, so it will be up to this group of players to go up there and show what they are worth.
“If I’m honest, I still think we are playing within ourselves, I’ve not seen someone have the game of their life or a game of the season so far. I want players to go out there, perform, and show me why I can’t not pick them next week or for the next five weeks.”
