Exeter Chiefs Season Review
At the start of the season the Exeter Chiefs were the bookies odds on favourites to be relegated from English Rugby's elite division. Fast forward eight months and the Chiefs find themselves in 8th place in what has ultimately been an extremely memorable first season in the Aviva Premiership.
Rob Baxter made it clear at the start of the season that he wanted to help make Devon a rugby stronghold and on this showing he is heading in the right direction to do that. Any suspicions that the Chiefs were punching above their weight were already dismissed within the first two games. First they beat Gloucester 22-10 at home and then they pushed top flight giants Leicester all the way.
A subsequent victory over the Newcastle Falcons had some people questioning whether Exeter could actually challenge for a Heineken cup place but the Aviva Premiership quickly demonstrated how unforgiving it is and the Chiefs subsequently lost the next three league games.
The frustrating thing from a fans point of view is that they were only comprehensively beaten in a handful of games over the course of the season and there is a sense of "what might have been if some results had gone their way.
But in reality not many supporters can have any grumblings on a season that has had plenty more highs then lows. The most memorable victories being the 23-9 defeat of Saracens at Vicarage Road and the convincing double of the once mighty London Wasps.
One gripe that Rob Baxter might have is the fact that Exeter were knocked out of all the cup competitions in the early stages. A brave showing in the Amlin Challenge Cup was brought to an end in the group stages with a narrow defeat at Montpellier in a match where Exeter led until 5 minutes from time. Their LV =cup campaign also ended prematurely with a 17-3 defeat at eventual finalists Newcastle back in February.
But the main aim of the season was for survival and the fact that Exeter never found themselves in any real danger was a testament to the players and the way Baxter has set up his side to cope with top flight rugby. Four defeats in the spin towards the end of the season was the worst spell in the season for the Chiefs but they shrugged this off to sign off the season in style and finish with two wins.
One embarrassment that Baxter will be hoping to forget though is when he mistakenly included Nemani Nadolo in his team in their 27 “22 defeat at Leeds Carnegie. This meant that Exeter had fielded more than the limit of two overseas players in their squad and were subsequently deducted two points and fined £5,000.
Luckily this didn't seem to have much of an effect on where Exeter finished in the league and despite the fine it looks as if the club are doing nicely for money with a six figure profit margin announced for their opening season in the Premiership.
Things are also looking good on the player front for the new season with Argentine fly-half Ignacio Mieres signing a new contract and seven new players arriving including the return of former prop John Andress from Harlequins.
These are exciting times for the Devonshire based club and Baxter told the club website he is delighted with how things have gone. "We didn't set ourselves any targets at the start of the year, but, if anyone had told me we'd end the season in eighth place, I'd have taken that in our first Premiership season.
But Exeter's main coach doesn't rest on his laurels and knows that he needs to step up the pace again to sustain this level of play. "The Premiership is a tough competition and it takes a number of years to become an established side, and we've got a fair way to go.
Maybe the Exeter Chiefs have a way to go yet before they are established but they have already taken a substantial first step in that long journey.
