The cider’s
FOR A city that is not exactly big on sporting achievements, Exeter is playing it commendably cool ahead of a possible Twickenham and Wembley double this weekend.
Tomorrow, Exeter Chiefs shoot for a first Premiership title against Wasps and on Sunday Exeter City face Blackpool in the League Two promotion play-off final.
You might have thought the impending trophy grab would merit some attention. ‘Ex’ should mark the spot. Not a bit of it.
The city centre is utterly devoid of any mention of the football and rugby teams. Not a single shop has a good-luck message for either. All is quiet on the south-western front.
The banners that are up advertise the Exeter Respect Festival, Devon Day and Think Art while the bunting is left over from Gay Pride.
It is not as if the city is uninterested. The Chiefs have sold out their allocation of 7,500 tickets for the Premiership final and are taking more than 30 buses of supporters, while City have passed the 15,000 mark in ticket sales.
The cathedral city will be half-empty this weekend. It is just the locals are refusing to make a show of their sides’ achievements quite yet. “We are quite laid-back down here,” explained the lady in the tourist information office.
And there is still one more tantalising step to go for both.
If they pull it off, it would be quite some double. For the Chiefs to be crowned the finest rugby side in the land would be a