Baxter’s half- day off before Twickers work

ROB BAXTER has given his Exeter players an extra half- day off as a reward.

Chiefs’ history makers have been told not to come to work until lunchtime today, by which time they will have a better idea of who they will face in Saturday’s Premiership final.

Wasps have won through to play them at Twickenham but are sweating on Covid results, having been retested after seven of their playing staff were found on Friday to be positive. Should they be unable to contain the outbreak, Lee Blackett’s in- form side will forfeit their place and Bristol, whom they easily beat in the semis, will step in.

Centre Henry Slade said: “We’ve got to prepare as if it’s Wasps, focus on what we can bring. Whatever team, we’ll look forward to it.”

Chiefs director of rugby Baxter, above, admitted he had to “hold himself back” from going straight into the changing room and turning minds towards this week’s game.

“In some ways that was some of our poorest attacking and defensive play of the season,” he said. “I wanted to walk in and say, ‘ If we play well next week we might win that one as well’.”