This group of players will fight for each other - Pellow
EXETER are set on a third Premiership Rugby Cup success when they take on London Irish at the Gtech Community Stadium today having used the tournament as a springboard to success in the 2010s.
Exeter won what was then the LV=Cup in 2014, their fourth season in the top flight, and three years later they were the Premiership champions. They also lifted the Anglo-Welsh Cup, as it was then called, in 2018, two campaigns before their league and Champions Cup double.
“We have always used the competition as a development tool and it is exciting for coaches and players to have something tangible in our grasp,” said Ricky Pellow, Exeter’s skills coach who is in charge of the cup side.
“London Irish have a lot of quality, but we are in a good place. It will be a big crowd on St Patrick’s Day weekend, the playing surface is excellent and there is a trophy to play for.”
Both sides have resisted the temptation to pack their sides with first-teamers, trusting the players who got them to the final at a time when the race for the play-offs in the Premiership is entering the final straight.
Wales flanker Christ Tshiunza starts after being left out of the final two rounds of the Six Nations while England centre Ollie Devoto is in line for his first appearance of the season from the bench.
“The young guys in the team will help drive this club forward,” said Pellow.
“Having Christ available is a massive positive for us: he would want to be playing in the Six Nations, but he has bought into what we are striving for rather than shown frustration.”
London Irish have home advantage, but it did not do them much good a year ago when they drew 25-25 with Worester but lost on tries having been outscored 3-1.
“We have watched that match as coaches to see if they produced any trick plays,” said Pellow. “They have said they feel they have a point to prove after missing out last year and will clearly use that as an emotional driver.
“It is a match between two good sides and we have won a final away from home before. It is a big occasion and players want to perform in front of large crowds.”
The Chiefs have struggled on the road this season, winning four matches across three competitions, although the success at Worcester was scratched when the Warriors were wound up and lost their place in the league.
“Our away record is not an issue,” said Pellow. “The final is a winner-takes-all game and you can probably say that about every match we have left this season.
“We want to build momentum to take into our next game against Bath and then Montpellier in the Heineken Champions Cup.
“The one thing I know about this group of players is that they will fight for each other to the end. It promises to be one hell of a game between two teams who like to attack from the off.”