With Exeter Chiefs winning emphatically this weekend over Newcastle in the European Challenge Cup, they now progress into the semi-finals full of confidence. Having also reached the LV=Cup final and pushing for a Premiership playoff spot, all is well at the Devon club.
Exeter have never been a pushover, and their rise to these heights has been cool and calculated with every fine detail ironed out to ensure success. They are complemented on their recruitment methods, team belief and their academy/young first team players who are combining to become a Premiership force.
They were promoted in 2009, having defeated Bristol in the play-offs and went on to finish eighth that season despite having a two point deduction for fielding too many overseas players against Leeds (now known as Yorkshire Carnegie). Since they have come up, their worst finish has been eighth and they have truly shown the characteristics to survive and become established. They are perhaps the only team in recent times to shake the tag of the promoted team being recently relegated. The gap between Championship and Premiership has been heavily criticised, however Exeter are proof if there is an infrastructure in place and a team does not lose their ideals they can survive.
This has been done by retaining a core group of players that all agree with the direction they want the team to move in, bringing in the right type of player and having a coach respected by the players. Rob Baxter played for the club for 14 years, 10 of those as captain and is an Exeter man through and through. Having taken over in 2009 he has taken the club on this journey and if things go the way they are, he will take them even further and who knows what they can achieve.
With Northampton Saints up next in the league, and a semi-final with Gloucester to contend with in the Challenge Cup the team face a tough run in. With the loss in the LV=Cup final, they will want to put things right and have a strong finish to the season. One thing is for sure though, Exeter have gained respect and admiration throughout the rugby world for their consistency and impressive performances year on year.
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