Returning stars boost Exeter ahead of Leinster
ROB Baxter warned Leinster ahead of their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final that Exeter have blown away the cobwebs with a 47-25 victory over Lyon.
The Chiefs fell 14-0 down after eight minutes of the round of 16 encounter at Sandy Park but, inspired by two-try man-of-thematch Jonny Hill, they fought back in a comprehensive win.
It was a rusty outing for a team that were at full strength after welcoming back their England, Scotland and Wales stars from Six Nations duty, but Baxter insisted they will be stronger for the run-out.
Leinster visit Sandy Park next weekend and Exeter’s director of rugby said: “The fact is these guys have been away a long time now. That’s only the second or third game that Henry Slade or Jonny Hill have featured for us because of their unavailability for internationals.
“Couple that with the injuries we’ve had and you have a muchchanged team.
“We just needed that time to align and I’m really pleased that’s happened now. We needed a game to give us a chance at being better next weekend.”
Meanwhile in yesterday’s action, Bordeaux-begles gained ample revenge for their extra-time defeat by Bristol in last season’s European Challenge Cup semi-final as they romped into the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a 36-17 win.
They became the fifth French side to reach the last eight and their prize is a home tie at the weekend against Racing 92, who beat Edinburgh earlier in the day.
Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill gave a brutally honest assessment of his side’s 56-3 defeat in Paris by admitting his side “got what they deserved”.
Racing ran in seven tries in an incredible all-round performance at La Defense Arena.
“There is no disgrace and coming here and losing, but the margin of the result looks ugly.
“Physically they were very good and we couldn’t cope,” said Cockerill.
In the weekend’s final match, Sale Sharks booked a quarter-final trip to La Rochelle after crushing the Scarlets 57-14 in Llanelli.