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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 can take another step towards only the second appearance in the quarter-finals of Europe in the club’s history with victory over La Rochelle.
Head coach Rob Baxter has got his team firing on all fronts, both home and abroad.
Their bonus-point win on France’s Atlantic coast last week extended their winning run to seven games.
That impressive streak has taken them top of Pool 2 in the Challenge Cup as well as third place in the Aviva Premiership and top of the group in the LV Cup.
Baxter said: “It is exciting for us being in the Premiership and Europe. The competition is seriously alive for us and we are going to go after it.
“It’s great going to a place like La Rochelle and picking up exactly what we wanted – to get four tries, not get any injuries and come away unscathed.
“The team we will pick will be with an eye on the team we need to head back into the Premiership the following weekend but there are enough fresh players at home to come in.”
Exeter’s strength in Europe has been their ability to score points from all positions.
Gareth Steenson may be among those rested but Chiefs have a former cup winner in Ceri Sweeney to take his place. They also have the peculiar achievement of spreading all 11 tries they have scored in Europe this season around 11 different players.
La Rochelle must win to retain any hope of progressing but have lost all seven games on the road this season, in all competitions.
However the jaune et noir are more than capable of winning in England having beaten Gloucester at Kingsholm on their last visit across the Channel.
And wing Botia Veivuke and try-scorer Jean-Pascal Barraque both caused Chiefs problems in last week’s 36-10 defeat.
Déjà éliminés de la course aux quarts de finale en European Rugby Challenge Cup
Exeter Chiefs marched impressively on as they hit La Rochelle for six to retain a firm grip on Pool 2 and stay favourites for automatic quarter-final qualification.
The six tries in another bonus point win – they triumphed 36-10 on France's Atlantic coast last week – took them to 16 match points and a last eight place that is there to be lost.
The Chiefs, also flying high in third spot in the Premiership, made it seven on the bounce in all tournaments as they came rocketing out of the blocks with captain and No 8 Kai Horstmann getting the scoreboard ticking over with just a minute gone.
La Rochelle were stripped of the ball and an Ian Whitten half break ended with Horstmann – later named man-of-the-match – going over wide out on the left.
Ceri Sweeney failed with the conversion attempt but the Chiefs promptly did it with the ball in hand once again as they won a five-metre line-out and some expert mauling enabled hooker Greg Bateman to get their second try before La Rochelle had time to break sweat.
The conversion attempt was charged down and La Rochelle responded with outside half Fabien Fortassin on target with a penalty goal to at least get off the mark.
The home pack then took a heel against the head and when Kini Murimurivalu committed a professional foul and is yellow carded Sweeney punished them on the scoreboard with the penalty to restore the 10-point advantage.
The jaune et noir had lost all seven games on the road this season in all competitions and already they were chasing the game.
And right wing Fetu’u Vainikolo made that chase all the tougher as he ran over and through the Rochelle defence from their 22 for the third try, Sweeney converting.
La Rochelle were again reduced to 14 men when prop Mike Corbel was sin binned and Welsh referee Leighton Hodges punished La Rochelle at scrum time with a penalty try that clinched the bonus point with just 33 minutes gone and the French club virtually out of it at the break.
A crowd of over 9,000 saw normal business promptly resumed on the restart, a fine solo effort from 22 metres out by Tom James for try No 5, Sweeney converting.
There was some joy for the French club with Julien Berger finally breaching the Chiefs’ defence, Fortassin adding the conversion.
Centre Adam Hughes side-stepped his way through for the Chiefs to make it an impressive half dozen tries although Arthur Cestaro did get a second try for La Rochelle.
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