FOR CONCERN
STUART HOGG has targeted a first ever European quarter-final at their Sandy Park ground as Exeter’s next box to tick.
The Chiefs however, may face a bigger obstacle to that ambition off the field than on it. Victory next weekend at home to a La Rochelle side who are out of contention will guarantee Hogg (above, right) and his pals take their place in the last eight as one of the four group winners with the best record.
Ordinarily that would be enough to earn home advantage but Exeter’s 13,600 capacity is 1,400 short of the minimum stipulated by the organisers to stage a quarter-final tie.
Exeter are hoping that if they complete an unbeaten Pool 2 campaign against the French side, then European Professional Club Rugby will show some flexibility but the final decision may depend on who their opponents are.
If it turns out to be a well-supported Irish province then Ashton Gate in Bristol has been mooted as a potential alternative.
“We are gunning for a home quarter and we will do everything we can to make sure that happens,” said Hogg. “We are in a great place. We have everything to play for next week against La Rochelle and I’m excited for it. It is a huge opportunity for us to play in front of a packed house at Sandy Park.”
Exeter, who have endured a chequered relationship with the Heineken Cup, completed part one of this season’s Euro mission on Saturday by winning the group to make sure of qualification after an extraordinary 31-31 draw at Hogg’s former club Glasgow. It was plastic fantastic on Scotstoun’s artificial surface, with Matt Kvesic (top) grabbing two of Chiefs’ tries.
Scotland full-back Hogg (inset) could have won the eight-try thriller in stoppage time but saw a 60m penalty, with the wind at his back, cannon back off the crossbar.
“I was dying for it to go over. I hit it sweetly and I was gutted it didn’t. It would have been the perfect ending,” said Hogg. “Not many teams go up to Glasgow, score four tries and come away with a result so we’ll take positives from that but a draw was a bit bittersweet.”
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