Hepher hails character shown by Exeter Chiefs
EXETER Chiefs responded to their Heineken Champions Cup exit by resuming domestic business in emphatic style, much to the delight of head coach Ali Hepher.
The Chiefs’ hopes of a successful European title defence were ended by four-time tournament winners Leinster last weekend, and back-toback Premiership crowns are now their sole focus.
Full-back Stuart Hogg (2), centre Ollie Devoto, lock Jonny Hill, wing Facundo Cordero, fly-half Joe Simmonds and prop Tomas Francis scored tries, with Simmonds kicking four conversions against a Wasps side that they beat in last season’s Premiership final.
There was also a 20-minute return off the replacements’ bench for
Chiefs’ England wing Jack Nowell, who made his comeback following six months out due to toe ligament surgery and then a hamstring problem.
“It’s been a tough week, we know that, but it’s also been a good, positive week as well because it’s given us clear direction to move forward and get better as a team,” said Hepher.
“To mentally come back within a week is a tough ask.
“There has been a lot of debriefing and analysing, and we have probably gone through that (Leinster) game as much as any game in the past, but equally on Wednesday we needed to draw a line under it and shift on.
“That was the challenge today, and we needed to be at a certain level, mentally, because last year they were in the final. They are a tough side.
“It was almost going to be who decides to keep going and keep driving it home, and who decides to have those negative thoughts, so the biggest thing (at half-time) was pushing the positive head.
“The doubts of a loss like last week do kick in, and you can get slightly reserved. This was always going to be one of those games when you get tested.”
And on Nowell’s return, Hepher added: “It was a bit of a bonus.
“We were aiming for next week (against Bristol), but he has been training really well and he has been itching to get out there for months now.
“I am pleased for him. He has put a lot of hard work in, and hopefully he has a strong end to the season.”
Wasps boss Lee Blackett pulled no punches after watching his team’s second-half demise at Sandy Park.
Exeter trailed 13-10 at half-time, but then scored 33 unanswered points to leave Wasps floundering.
It was their sixth defeat in the last seven Premiership games, and Blackett said: “They (Exeter) are a team with some very dangerous individuals, but we didn’t help ourselves.
“I am really disappointed with the last 30 minutes. I felt we rolled over far too easily.
“We are fit enough to play 80 minutes, and that scoreline shouldn’t have been that way.
“There are going to be positives in terms of set-piece and how much we created, but we are disappointed with our errors and that last 30 minutes.
“We don’t want to be a team that plays in fits and starts - we want to be a team that plays for 80 minutes. We can’t have a 30 minutes like we did today.”
RYAN Hardie showed just how effective he can be as a striker for Plymouth Argyle in the 1-1 draw with Burton Albion.
Not only did the 24-year-old put in a typically hard-working display he scored an opportunistic 69th minute goal to put the Pilgrims ahead.
However, the satisfaction at scoring such a good goal was ruined for Hardie by Ryan Broom’s 93rd minute equaliser for Burton.
The Pilgrims’ striker said: “The result is what matters at the end of the day.
“The goal is good on a personal note but to play the way we did for 92 minutes and then lose a goal is a real gutter.
“It just shows you we have got to be switched on and resolute for 95, 96 minutes - it just depends how long the game goes on.”
He continued: “If we had won the game 1-0 we would have been proud of our performance but the goal changes everything.
“It makes everything a downer. You are thinking about how we never did this and how we never did that, instead of saying ‘Well done boys’.
“We changed our game plan to suit the way the match went. From front to back, we were battling for everything.
“We won some things up front, we made clearances and blocked things at the back, it’s just a real killer in the last minute.”
Hardie was watching from the sidelines when Burton grabbed their last-gasp goal after he was substituted by Byron Moore in the 80th minute.
He admitted: “I’m sitting there thinking ‘Please, please, please hold out’. It’s just disappointing at the minute.”
On his goal, Hardie said: “I have seen the ‘keeper off his line and just flicked it over him. I was hoping when the ball bounced it didn’t hit the bar or go over.
“I have not had as many chances this year with the balls through like that.”