Chiefs won’t root around for change
afterwards, they felt they had to do something a bit extra on top of what they normally do. “That’s where we can learn a little from Saracens. They are confident enough to keep on doing what they do. They know what works for them in the league can work for them in Europe too. “It is a different tournament but we don’t need to change massively for it. The way we play in the Premiership has beaten Saracens and Wasps in big games. When we do what we do – and do it well – the facts say that should work in Europe because it has worked for other English clubs. “Other teams in Europe might have different strengths but does that mean we need to find a miracle? No.” Where Saracens, the European champions, are at an advantage is with the quality of their squad, which enables them to fight on two fronts. They can absorb the loss of a Billy Vunipola and still prosper.
Exeter do not have the same Lion count – they lost their solitary summer tourist Jack Nowell to a broken cheekbone last Saturday – but, like Saracens, they do have a system that allows players to swap in and out seamlessly.
Stick to that system of high-tempo keep-ball and it will see them thrive according to Baxter – even in a nightmare group that also contains a high-class Leinster side and Montpellier, whose galaxy of galacticos they face next week. “Aaron Cruden or Louis Picamoles shouldn’t stop us doing what we need to do. If it does, we’re getting it wrong,” said Baxter. “Our big challenge is to get through rounds one and two and still be masters of our own destiny. “We haven’t got a fantastic history in this competition based on the fact that we haven’t done well in the first two rounds. We have had some outstanding displays but normally the horse has bolted by then. “We don’t want to have to do something miraculous in the last round this time.” With no Nowell or Dave Dennis, the Chiefs recall Phil Dollman and Julian Salvi to face the Pro14 leaders. The odd new face, the odd new combination, but the message is clear for the Chiefs. Don’t change for nobody.