Baxter wants to see more in training
EXETER Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has challenged his players to stand up and take the opportunity they are being given in the first XV.
Shorn of several players due to injury and others as they toured with the British and Irish Lions this summer, the Chiefs opened their Premiership campaign in disappointing fashion at the weekend, going down to a 34-19 loss at Leicester Tigers.
A number of youngsters and fringe players featured at Welford Road and after going down to defeat, Baxter has challenged them to respond with a big performance when the Chiefs return to Sandy Park to face Northampton Saints this weekend.
“Every game you lose is disappointing,” Baxter said. “This early part of the season, if anything I would describe as a chance for a few men to grow within the side. It does offer a few of the guys an opportunity and what we want to see is if they are capable of doing that and taking ownership and leadership of things.
“Personally, I know there is a lot more in us and my frustration right now is that I’m not quite sure the guys believed they could rip that game away from Leicester.
“When you think like that, sometimes that can hurt you more than anything else.”
Following the defeat, some ‘experts’ are suggesting the Chiefs will struggle this year. A look at the fixture calendar shows they will be without several front line performers due to international matches at various stages of the campaign, but Baxter retains faith in his players and insists they will get better and come good.
“We will lick our wounds and move on, because that’s what you have to do in the Premiership,” Baxter added.
“Our story is not one of walking through Premiership games and getting to finals, you have to do special things to win games of rugby and right at this moment, we’ve not been special. We will, of course, learn to be special over the course of the season and I’m confident we are an improving picture.”