Bath clash ‘must win’ for Chiefs

ROB Baxter knows his Exeter Chiefs side can ill afford any more slip-ups in their quest to reach the Premiership play-offs this season.

Defeat at home to table-topping Leicester Tigers last Sunday heaped further pressure on the Devonians who, with just four regular season games remaining, must now produce a near perfect set of results.

Even then, that may not be enough for the Chiefs to book their place in the top four. Such is the nature of the division this season, the play-off battle could go right down to the wire.

“We are getting towards last chance saloon,” said Baxter earlier this week. “I kind of thought last week [against Leicester] was a must-win game for us, but now it’s very much like that as we head into these last few games.

“Last week’s result means things have slipped a bit out of our hands... There are four games left, still lots of points to play for, so we’ll just keep fighting.”

The sole focus for the Chiefs now is today’s visit of Bath, a side who despite their lowly position in the standings, still possess a proven arsenal of talent that can attack any opposition side.

“If we play anywhere near our potential, then we have a great chance to get something from the game,” said Baxter. “If we don’t and Bath do, they will win the game. As I said, it’s not difficult from here on in. We are effectively in do-or-die territory, so hopefully that will bring the best out of us.

“If I’m being honest, now we have to start seeing the best of ourselves because the target is the top four and it’s up to the playing group to now go out there and grab it.”

Chiefs welcome Jack Yeandle, Patrick Schickerling, Jannes Kirsten and Sam Skinner back into his pack of forwards.

Behind the scrum, Tom Hendricksonand Scottish captain Stuart Hogg returning.

England duo Henry Slade and Sam Simmonds both miss the game due to their mandatory rest break, while fellow internationals Luke Cowan-Dickie (knee) and Jack Nowell (arm) remain sidelined with injury.