Baxter expects a response from side

MONDAY’S video nasty of last week’s Twickenham torment would not have made for comfortable viewing, but Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter, is confident there will be a reaction of sorts from his players this weekend, writes Mark Stevens.

Today, the Chiefs welcome Newcastle Falcons to Sandy Park (2.30pm) in their latest Premiership fixture knowing that victory is essential in their quest to reach the end of season play-offs.

Exeter’s 40-5 loss to Harlequins in Big Game 14 at Twickenham a week ago not only saw the Chiefs drop to eighth in the standings, but it brought to an end an impressive run of victories that have kept them firmly in the mix for the top four. It was an untimely setback for the Chiefs, but Baxter believes his squad can hit back at the first opportunity.

“There was disappointment and frustration around the performance, of course there was, but we have to use those feelings in the right way this weekend,” he said. “If we’re honest, we didn’t get much right in the build-up to that game - and our performance showed that - and the responsibility of that lies at my door.

“Right now, we’re still very much in that fight for third and fourth spot, but we can’t go on just going ‘we’ll win one, we’ll lose one, we’ll win one, we’ll lose one’ and expect to be anywhere near.

“We actually have got to go: ‘Right, there is an opportunity here and it’s in our hands, but we do have to take it’ and to take it we’re going to have to put in some away performances without doubt. We can’t just say ‘let’s knock our home games off’ because the season’s gone well beyond that for us.”

Exeter Chiefs: Josh Hodge, Jack Nowell, Ian Whitten, Solomone Kata, Olly Woodburn, Harvey Skinner, Sam Maunder; Scott Sio, Dan Frost, Marcus Street, Jannes Kirsten, Jack Dunne, Dave Ewers, Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Simmonds. Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Danny Southworth, Patrick Schickerling, Mike Williams, Aidon Davis, Jack Maunder, Joe Simmonds, Rory O’Loughlin.