Baxter in call for fast start

EXETER boss Rob Baxter wants the Chiefs to be leading rather than chasing in this season’s European Champions Cup.

Although Exeter reached the quarter-finals last term, they only qualified during the dying seconds on a dramatic last day of pool action.

The Chiefs had put themselves up against it by failing to secure any points from their opening fixture with the Ospreys.

And Baxter is keen for a flying start this time around, although it will not be straightforward, given that French Top 14 leaders Clermont Auvergne are first up at Sandy Park today, followed by an appointment with Ulster in Belfast next Saturday.

Baxter said: ‘A win in your first game is pretty important. There are only six rounds of games and as we saw last season, not getting a point at the Ospreys put us on the back foot immediately.

‘You have to fly into your first couple of fixtures, and that gives you a chance to be a leader. But if you lose, you are a chaser. We will focus on being a leader after these two rounds.’

Baxter makes six changes from the side held 27-27 at home by Gloucester last weekend, with Moray Low, Harry Williams, Damian Welch and Kai Horstmann called into the pack, while there are also starts for scrum-half Dave Lewis and centre Ollie Devoto.

Meanwhile, in the challenge Cup, England wing Jonny May made a try-scoring comeback to help Gloucester open their campaign with a 47-27 away win over Bayonne.

May, who had been sidelined with a knee injury since last December, was involved throughout and crossed 12 minutes into second half.

Worcester made a disappointing start as their long trip to Russia ended in a 19-12 defeat by Enisei-STM. Wing Josh Adams and replacement prop Biyi Alo scored the Warriors’ tries.