Wasps will want to sting us – Baxter

ROB Baxter welcomes Exeter’s toughest test of the season to date knowing Wasps will be motivated by revenge in today’s heavyweight showdown at the Ricoh Arena.

The rematch of the 2020 Gallagher Premiership final sees Baxter’s double winners look to improve on a poor record at the home of their rivals, where they have won only once since 2015.

Their most recent visit to Coventry was also their last defeat, when a weakened team were dismantled 46-5 in October.

Of greater significance is the climax to last season, when Exeter were taken to the wire in a 19-13 victory at Twickenham that saw Wasps fail to capitalise on an attacking line-out in the closing stages.

“Wasps are enjoying how they play and are playing with a lot of energy. No one appreciates more than me how tough it is to go there and get a win,” Chiefs director of rugby Baxter said.

“They’ve got a confidence about them and there will be an element of wanting to get their own back after the final, to prove a point there.

“We’ll have to have more energy than we did against Gloucester last weekend because it will be a tough and fast-paced game. But this is something we need – a tough, challenging game away from home.

“This should be the type of thing that gets us ready for our return to Europe in a couple of weeks.”

Wasps’ build-up to the final was affected by an outbreak of coronavirus that severely restricted their training, while the treacherous conditions prevented them from playing the all-action style of rugby that had swept them into the final.

“What a great challenge – to take on the European and Premiership champions. That’s something we’re excited about,” head coach Lee Blackett said.

“We went into that game at Twickenham with a way of beating them, but then we got there and there was horizontal rain lashing down.

“We’ve got a plan and it’s a very similar plan to what we were going to use in the final until the conditions changed our plan on the day. Hopefully we’ll get better conditions on Saturday.”

In Saturday’s other fixture, Gloucester will look to claim their second win in five outings when they host Sale at Kingsholm.