There has been precious little joy for English clubs in Europe this season – or last – but at least Exeter are still valiantly flying the flag. Unlike five of their Premiership compatriots the Chiefs’ qualification prospects remain alive heading into the final pool weekend, though there remains the small matter of defeating Munster at an expectant Thomond Park this Saturday.
Should Exeter win and deny Munster a bonus point of any description, however, the Chiefs will be into the last eight, not a scenario that appeared likely when they failed to win any of their opening three pool fixtures. This resurgent performance will boost their confidence, even if those who saw the Irish province’s high-class demolition of Gloucester on Friday will be counting few chickens.
The French champions Castres can certainly attest to the pedigree of Jack Nowell, playing his first game for the Chiefs since October 20 and doing his best to make up for lost time since injuring a hamstring at England training in November. The Cornishman, wearing 15, scored an eye-catching try inside the first three minutes and was a persistent threat with ball in hand with Eddie Jones due to announce his Six Nations squad on Thursday.
Champions Leinster move top after ending Toulouse’s unbeaten run
By the time Nowell left the fray after 50 minutes in order to preserve his hamstring for Limerick, victory was already assured and Rob Baxter, Exeter’s director of rugby, believes his players will give Munster a proper contest despite their hosts having been beaten only a handful of times at Thomond Park in their European history. “It is going to be a fantastic test for us and great to see which players want to stand up and fight,” said Baxter. “That is what is so exciting. We can genuinely talk this week about going and testing ourselves in one of Europe’s iconic venues against one of Europe’s iconic teams, in as close to a knockout game as we could get. We have to decide we’re going to go there and not back down, physically or emotionally.”
Baxter has already been encouraged by the re-emergence of his side’s multifaceted attacking game. Of late they have been slightly too reliant on their close-range driving maul at the expense of stretching defences elsewhere but not on this occasion. With a firm surface underfoot and a little first-half sunshine to warm the soul, the Chiefs were much more like their old selves and look to be emerging from their slight midwinter dip. Crucially some key injured soldiers are also returning with Jonny Hill, an England tourist in South Africa last June, among those in fine fettle.
The first half-hour was particularly impressive with Nowell, not seen in Exeter colours since the reverse fixture in Castres, setting the tone by blasting and sidestepping his way through and around the visiting cover to score a hugely popular try. Given his last England appearance came as a centre, his versatility is indisputable and, if he can stay fit, a World Cup squad place really should be his. “It was great to see guys like Jack Nowell back, playing so well,” said Baxter. ’When we are playing that relatively high-tempo game it doesn’t reallymatter what number is on his back.”
With Ollie Devoto and Henry Slade also both in purposeful mood, it was no surprise when the Chiefs, despite letting in Taylor Paris for a try against the run of play, scored again after 17 minutes, A charging gallop from Hill breached the Castres defence before Devoto’s delightful offload put Joe Simmonds over, with Hill adding a third from close range before the half-hour mark. There would have been another brilliant team try had Matt Kvesic’s potential scoring pass not slipped from Slade’s grasp with the line in sight.
Within five minutes of the restart the bonus point materialised anyway. Slade’s lovely step left the Castres captain, Robert Ebersohn, face down in the grass and the England centre, having weighed up his options, rolled a lovely left-footed kick towards the left corner for his wing Tom O’Flaherty to gather and score.
Once again Castres had sufficient spirit to respond with a try from the centre Thomas Cambezou but even before a 59th-minute red card for the replacement prop Tudor Stroe, guilty of a shoulder to Devoto’s head in a maul, the visitors were beaten. Slade stole over on his hands and knees for his side’s fifth try and another England contender, Luke Cowan-Dickie, added a close-range sixth with 15 minutes left. Baxter is less than thrilled his team will have two fewer days to prepare than Munster – “It is a strange one … without complaining about it, you would think it is something that needs to be looked at scheduling-wise” – but the Chiefs will cross the Irish Sea in buoyant mood regardless.