Western Morning News (Saturday)
Nowell injury forces him to miss Chiefs’ semi-final
England win picks up a foot injury which means he misses big clash against Bath
EXETER Chiefs head into one of the biggest games of their season without one the brightest jewels in their crown.
Thirty-four cap England international and two time British and Irish Lion Test winger Jack Nowell will miss the Chiefs’ home semi-final against Bath Rugby today after picking up a foot injury.
Sources inside the club say the injury troubled stars’ latest issue is not serious but with Exeter facing not only Bath this weekend, but then Racing 92 in the European Heineken Champions Cup final in eight days time, director of rugby Rob Baxter will want his x-factor stars on the pitch, and not adding to the noise from the sidelines.
Nowell will be ably replaced by former Bath man Olly Woodburn who has returned to fitness in recent weeks after injuring his groin against
Bristol Bears back in August.
Exeter have cantered through much of the season having been the strongest team in the Premiership by some distance.
Since rugby restarted in August, following the five month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, Baxter has used 57 different players in the top-flight, offering a number of fringe first-teamers the chance to shine. That has come with mixed results, losing 46-5 to a strong Wasps side last weekend and 22-19 to London Irish earlier in the week.
However, Baxter means business with virtually the same 23 that defeated Toulouse in the European semi-final a fortnight ago selected again today.
Despite Bath only earning their play-off place after Sale Sharks were forced to forfeit their Round 22 game with Worcester Warriors following a break-out of Covid-19 at the club, Baxter knows his side will have to be at their best to overcome an in form and international packed side.
He said: “Bath, we know, will be tough opponents. Although we beat them here earlier in the season [5720], that will count for nothing this weekend.
“They are one of the form sides since lockdown [having won seven, drawn one and lost one] and when you watch them play, they look like they are a side enjoying their rugby. As a coach, I always worry when I see a side enjoying themselves because that normally means they are playing well.
“As I’ve said to our guys, it’s going to be a huge challenge and we’re going to have put in a season’s best performance. We’re at the semi-final stage of the competition, the top four sides in the division, so you should be preparing for a huge test.”
Chiefs have been in the Premiership Grand final for the past four seasons, winning the title in 2016/17, whereas Bath have not graced the visiting top four since losing 28-16 to Saracens in the 2Y014/15 final.
That added experience will help Exeter, Baxter believes. He said: “Having had that experience of playing in semi-finals in the past, we should look to make that count, because it is different to playing in a final. Semi-finals are about emotion, but not allowing that emotion to over rule everything. In finals, I think there is more emotion, because you’re dealing with the highs and lows of everything, even before you arrive at a game.
“For a semi-final, it’s all about putting in a good performance, full or energy and drive, because you have to do that to make sure you play well.”
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds (c), 9 Jack Maunder; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 8 Sam Simmonds. 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Jannes Kirsten, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten.