Match Reaction - Ali Hepher
By Mark Stevens
12/12/21
Exeter Chiefs head coach Ali Hepher saluted a solid start for his side in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup as they swept aside the challenge of Montpellier 42-6 at Sandy Park.
Jonny Gray’s try hat-trick, coupled with further scores for Stuart Hogg, Sam Simmonds and Don Armand, ensured it was a perfect start for the 2020 champions against the Frenchman, who countered with two first half penalties from fly-half Louis Forsans.
After a tight first half in which the Chiefs led 7-6 at the turn, the Devonians turned up the heat in the second period to run out comfortable victors.
“The first half was a little disappointing,” said Hepher. “We were watching too much of the game and not getting immersed in the fight. At half time we took the boys back a week to the Saracens game, where we literally made them fight for every breakdown, and as you saw in the second half we pressured the breakdown a lot more, which in turn presented us with more opportunities.”
After Hogg had crossed in the first half, it took Gray less than two minutes to get the first of his three tries on the resumption. The Scotsman added two more after that before Simmonds and Armand wrapped things up.
“It’s been a tough week because we’ve had bugs in the camp and not had training consistency that we would have liked,” explained Hepher. “That said, I thought the way the guys fought through that in the second half was excellent - and in the end we were able to come away with what was a convincing win.”
Gray’s treble helped marked a positive return to the fold for the towering lock, who has been forced to miss much of the current campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery in the summer.
His return to action, though, has been impressive and the Exeter coach was quick to pay tribute to the 27-year-old.
He said: “I don’t know whether Jon has scored three tries in the rest of his career!
“It’s fantastic for him and it is great to have him back up and running. He has had a long time out injured and it is pleasing he has come back the way he has.
“He was in the right place, he was smart with the way he picked and when he laid off his passes, and he created a good opportunity as well with a good offload, so all round we are really pleased with Jon and we have got to keep him rolling.”
Next up for the Chiefs is a visit to Gray and Hogg’s former stomping ground with Glasgow Warriors lying in wait next Saturday.
“It’ll be a tough away game,” warned Hepher. “We’ve been up there a few times and we’ve never won - we got a draw up there last time we played them. As a team, we know any wins or any points on the road are vital in Europe, but it’s going to be a tough, physical battle and we have to put in a big performance.”