Slade is out to take care of business
our stall out early that we wanted to win the league and put ourselves in the best opportunity to do that.
“We were happy to have got where we were last season but we are that bit better. Every season we have been in the Premiership we have incrementally improved and the only way for us to improve on last year is to win it.
“Saracens have won a lot of trophies recently and have been going really well but we have such confidence and belief. Every time we step on to the field we don’t contemplate losing.
“I haven’t even considered not being in training next week. That’s not any disrespect to Saracens, they are a top side – we just have such good belief.”
Slade went for broke like a poker player with two minutes left and his side trailing by three points – if the kick had gone dead Exeter would have been too.
Mark McCall, the opposing director of rugby, hailed it as one of the greatest punts ever but once Slade had produced the Hail Mary, the big boys up front still had work to do.
“It came off the boot really nicely,” he said. “I had to go for it and try to gain as much territory as possible. That was only half the job and the boys had to put a hell of a drive together to get over the line. It was not just about the kick.
“You never want to be down on the scoreboard but over the last few months or however long it is since we last lost, I never felt we were going to lose a game.
“That’s the confidence and the belief we have in the squad. Anything
can happen in two minutes of rugby. There were no panic stations.”
McCall’s team were going for a double-double of Premiership and European titles after winning the Champions Cup last Saturday in Edinburgh.
But they went to the well once too often after battling on two fronts all season, and today their six Lions will join up with Warren Gatland and Co for a training camp in Ireland ahead of the trip to New Zealand.
Although running on empty, Saracens did show champion qualities to go 16-13 up when wing Mike Ellery went over for a try with the clock ticking before Slade put the boot in. McCall said: “Slade puts that anywhere else and I’d be talking about one of the great wins and fights from a team who were a bit tired.”
EXETER Con: – Tries: Pens: SARACENS Tries: – Pens: