Chiefs refuse to stop winning
Six games, six wins, it will take a lot more than a few calming words from Exeter's commander-in-chief to quell the excitement that is currently building in and around Sandy Park.
Saturday's slaying of the capital-based Dragons may not have displayed the same art and craft that was on display to sink Bristol the week previous, but Baxter's hard-working troops again adopted an alternate game plan to get the job done just as well.
It was, however, a testing examination for the Chiefs, who made three changes to their starting XV for the game. Chris Bentley returned in the second-row for James Hanks, while behind Bryan Rennie and Mark Foster got the nod ahead of Matt Cornwell and Paul McKenzie.
Welsh, meanwhile, arrived in town buoyed by three successive league victories of their own, the latest of which had come against high-flying Bedford Blues. Like their hosts, they too made three changes with head coach Danny Wilson recalling Ben Gotting, Michael Hills and Paul Mackey to active duty.
Despite the re-jig, Welsh were quickly into their stride as lock Matt Corker spelt out their early intentions with a rampaging run through the heart of the home defence. Although Corker's threat and the subsequent follow-up raids were repelled well by Exeter, the early pressure eventually paid off when the Chiefs conceded a tenth-minute penalty.
Prop Hoani Tui was the offender on this occasion, the Maori powerhouse penalised by referee David Rose for playing the man without the ball. His unnecessary infringement gifted Aled Thomas his first shot on goal, but the Welsh full-back was unable to take up the opportunity, firing his right-footed effort wide of the right stick. It was an early let-off for the Chiefs who, having made a somewhat sluggish start to proceedings, finally kicked into life with a succession of drives into enemy territory. Good approach work involving Richard Baxter and skipper Tom Hayes set-up a decent attacking platform, one which was subsequently dismantled by some crude play by Corker whose actions were duly punished as fly-half Gareth Steenson stroked over a 25-metre penalty to give his side the lead on 15 minutes.
The score certainly ignited the home side who then threatened again just moments later with decent breaks from Baxter and James Scaysbrook, while winger Matt Jess was also thwarted by some last-gasp intervention from Thomas.
On 27 minutes, Steenson was afforded another shot at the target – this after Welsh flanker Michael Hills had infringed at a ruck – but this time the Irishman was unable to convert his effort from just inside the visiting half.
Welsh drew level, however, just before the break following a moment of madness in the Exeter defence. Having shadowed a kick in behind, Chiefs full-back Emyr Lewis proceeded to rush the resultant drop-kick, the result of which ended up in giving Welsh an attacking scrum on the home 22. As the respective packs engaged, referee Rose was quick to ping the hosts for not binding properly and up stepped Thomas to slot over the easy penalty.
Thankfully for the Chiefs, they responded almost instantaneously as they regained the initiative in first-half stoppage time with a try from livewire hooker Neil Clark. The 27-year-old was on hand to burrow his way over the whitewash after at least six initial drives had been thwarted in a host of ways by the Welshmen. Steenson obliged with the conversion to give the Chiefs a 10-3 buffer.
As had been the case in the opening period, the Chiefs were again slow to start and just 35 seconds had been played when Chad Slade was adjudged to have hit Thomas with a late tackle. Having spent a moment or so brushing himself down following the Samoan's charge, Thomas stepped up to reduce the arrears with his second penalty of the game.
A further Thomas penalty just past the hour cut Exeter's advantage to a point, before the natives were given yet more cause for concern on 65 minutes when Hanks was penalised for not rolling away at the tackle area. On this occasion, Thomas shanked his effort off target and the Chiefs were spared.
The visitors, who bossed both possession and territory for large parts of the contest, refused to lie down and they continued to surge forward with wave-upon-wave of attacks. The home rearguard, however, was defiant. Time and time again Welsh would try to pick their way through any kind of gap, but each route was blocked by a wall of black bodies.
And having absorbed the Welsh threat, the Chiefs turned defence into attack with a splendid counter. Steenson's hanging clearance was gathered by Thomas but, with little support around him, his insistence on hanging onto the ball afforded Exeter's man at number ten the chance to drill over a second penalty.
Even then the Exiles were far from finished and used the final throws of the game to stage one final onslaught. The Chiefs, though, were not to be denied, their defensive efforts summed up by one bruising collision by replacement Simon Alcott on Hills.
Afterwards, Rob Baxter said: "I am more than delighted with that win today. We set ourselves a lot of honest goals with the players during the week and to come out of this game after the pressure of last week, we had everything to lose today, we were the team under pressure. We followed up a very good performance last week with a real tough, gritty performance this week.
"We talked a lot during the week about defence and relishing defending – and I think it was almost like we wanted to give them the ball because we wanted to defend at times today – but I think some of our defensive sets, particularly in the second half were as good as I've seen from us for two years. We kind of built a brick wall across the pitch. We were winning turnovers, we were winning knock-on, that side of our game again I think we have ticked another box. We almost looked impregnable at times.
"For London Welsh to come here and not score a try, especially the way they have been playing, I think that says masses. I know a lot of people are going to say it was a tight game, fair enough it was a tight game, but we didn't let them score a try. For me, that is a massive positive out of today."
Baxter also believed his side's try right on the stroke of half-time was also a key moment in the match, he added: "It was nice to see the forwards take charge, they decided they were going to score and fair play to them they kept working and working and the try came. It was probably the pivotal moment of the game because without that we wouldn't have been able to hold on as we did in the second half.
"Possibly we may have had to have gone out and play a bit more in the second half – that may have been good for us – but as it stands again this team has shown a massive amount of character again. Every game we play seems to be a different challenge, but the guys are meeting that challenge head on. I'm delighted with the win."
Exeter Chiefs hooker Neil Clark looks up to see that his try has been awarded by referee David Rose against London Welsh
