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Exeter Chiefs coach Rob Baxter believes his side's daunting Heineken Cup group will benefit the club in the long-term. The Chiefs have been drawn against reigning champions Toulon
Exeter Chiefs know they are playing catch-up in Pool 2 after their opening weekend defeat to Bayonne.
Rob Baxter’s men had victory in their sights in France before slipping to 30-24 defeat. It’s left them in third place in the pool behind Bayonne and this weekend’s opponents, table-toppers Connacht, with just the losing bonus point to their name.
While nothing has been decided after one round of the competition, Exeter head coach Rob Baxter admits his side can’t afford to drop points this week.
“Connacht have got away to a flier, they got the points they needed at home,” Baxter said. “For us to keep this group alive a home win is very important so we have to go flat-out to get a win here. That means an away bonus point in France (against Bayonne) means something.
“Our intention will be to try to get those important four points, then this competition is alive for us.”
But Connacht’s success this season was reflected in the selection of five of their players for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad this week.
Darragh Leader, Nathan White, Kieran Marmion, Robbie Henshaw and Rodney Ah You will all be desperate to use their game against Exeter in round two to impress the national boss ahead of the autumn internationals.
Connacht were outstanding in round one of this season’s Challenge Cup as they brushed aside La Rochelle 48-12 at home.
Coach Pat Lam said: “It’s fantastic to have five of our Connacht men named in the squad. Their inclusion is thoroughly deserved and we're all very proud of them.
“It is a huge testament to the players themselves, their team-mates, the backroom staff and what we're all trying to do here at Connacht.”
Match facts
- Exeter and Connacht have never met in Europe. .
- Exeter have never faced Irish opposition in the tournament but Connacht have faced sides from England on 26 occasions (W8, L18).
- Connacht have won just twice on English soil in the Challenge Cup.
- This will be Connacht Rugby’s 100th game in the competition.
What a difference a week can make! After the bitter disappointment of losing to Bayonne in round one of the European Rugby Challenge Cup
What a difference a week can make! After the bitter disappointment of losing to Bayonne in round one of the European Rugby Challenge Cup, the Chiefs conjured up five tries to comfortably get back on the winning trail against Connacht.
There were three first-half tries for the home fans to savour in a 33-13 win as Will Chudley, Henry Slade and Damian Welch set-up the Aviva Premiership side for a bonus point triumph that took them to the top of Pool 2.
Man of the Match Dave Ewers and Ben White added two more tries after the break to complete the victory and outside half Gareth Steenson moved through 1,500 points for the club with four conversions.
Connacht arrived at Sandy Park having lost only one in seven outings this season and with high hopes of retaining top spot in the Pool following their 48-12 demolition of La Rochelle in the opening round. But they never got to grips with the power and pace generated by the home side and suffered as a result.
Craig Ronaldson kicked two first half penalties for the visitors and then converted a second half consolation score from wing Fionn Carr.
It was a charge from a line-out by Tom Waldrom that paved the way for the opening try from Chudley and then his half-back partner Slade picked up at the base of a ruck to scamper over on the blindside over the second.
The third try came on the stroke of half-time and saw good work from Jack Nowel and Ewers, did the damage as they opened up Connacht yet again, before the Devonians ruthlessly worked the ball wide to the left, creating the opening to pave the way for Welch to cross.
It took only six minutes of the second half before the Chiefs bagged the bonus point, when Ewers strolled over and after that it was just a question of how big the winning margin would be.
The Chiefs now face back-to-back assignments against La Rochelle, who beat Bayonne 25-13 at home, in December, while Connacht will do the same against Bayonne.
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