BAXTER HAILS PERFORMANCE

Rob Baxter, the chief coach of the Aviva Premiership side the Exeter Chiefs, has hailed his side’s victory against the Newcastle Falcons and believes that this scrappy victory was a much needed one for his side, although his words also reflected his sympathies for the Newcastle team, which, according to him, needed the victory much more than they did.

The victory at Kingston Park, only the 6th victory that the Chiefs have managed throughout the season has more or less guaranteed another season of Premiership rugby for them whereas it left their rivals still 9 points away from their nearest rivals, the Wasps who are at 11th at the moment.

The win for the Chiefs was very much down to an inspired display from talismanic player Haydn Thomas who managed to escape the Newcastle Falcons back line to score a try in the first half, which went a long way in securing the victory for them. The Exeter Chiefs now lie at 8th in the table, having managed to consolidate their position with the win and look more or less assured of safety.

Rob Baxter also added that he had not imagined that the teams would have to play the match in front of only 3,445 people, the record lowest attendance ever at a Newcastle Falcon’s game at the Kingston Park and added that it helped the team a lot because the vocal Newcastle support was absent to spur the team on, which they usually do.

Baxter admitted that the match was a must win affair for both the teams and was happy that his side was able to hold on in front of a whirlwind Newcastle attack during the dying moments of the match. Having secured survival, Baxter is now looking forward to the Amlin Challenge Cup game for the Exeter Chiefs.