Jack Nowell and brothers Joe and Sam Simmonds, France-bound at the end of the season, continued their mission for a glorious farewell as they kept their ambition of repeating Exeter’s 2020 Champions Cup triumph firmly on track.
But they had more than a little help from some newly-promoted Chiefs as Rob Baxter saw his salary cap-enforced squad re-building project show huge promise.
Full-back Tom Wyatt, who has spent most of the last three seasons on dual contract with Championship side Cornish Pirates, was preferred to Scotland cap centurion Stuart Hogg after his crucial try in the extra-time victory over Montpellier which secured yesterday’s home quarter-final . . . and he struck again with yesterday’s opener.
And the scrum-half pair of Will Becconsall and his replacement Tom Cairns, catapulted from this season’s Premiership Cup-winning side to the top level of European rugby in the space of a fortnight, brought an attacking urgency to the Chiefs.
Director of rugby Baxter rated yesterday’s performance alongside the best of his double-winning team of three years ago, stating: “For me personally I would put it near the top.”
But the star names going out on a high is not the motivation Baxter is looking for to inspire his side.
Denne historien er fra April 09, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra April 09, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.
