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Newcastle defeat the 'kick up the backside' Exeter needed, says Baxter
By Alex Fisher
Exeter Chiefs saw their seven-game winning run in the Premiership come to a juddering halt on Sunday and coach Rob Baxter hopes it will be a wake-up call for his players.
The Chiefs travelled to Kingston Park 10 points clear of Saracens in the table but made the trip home with that advantage sliced in half after a 28-20 defeat.
Sarries took full advantage with a comprehensive 38-15 victory over Wasps at the Ricoh Arena, their bonus-point success putting Exeter firmly in their sights.
While disappointed by his side's display, Baxter suggested it could be a positive thing for the defending champions as they enter the second half of the season.
"I'm not going to make too big a deal of it but our performance was simply not good enough and it's the kick up the backside we needed," the Chiefs' director of rugby said.
"There were too many individual moments when we didn't do the business and that's not to take anything away from Newcastle – the result is a great credit to them."
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Yet Ethan Blackadder was one of our best against the World Champion Springbok. When he came back to the Crusaders later in the season , he made a huge difference, ( a long with others like Codie Taylor), we nearly made the Play Off's. Ethan has plenty of rugby left in him. His family , Dad Todd Blackadder must be very [proud of him. Todd Blackadder was a 3 time champion captain of the Crusaders, '98, '99 and 2000.An icon in this area. Also twice captain of Canterbury , '97 and 2001 when we won the NPC and Ranfurly Shield winning captain in 2000.
Go to commentsIt's the same criticism of Dmac and Mo'unga as well. Sadly the way the game has been heading recently it's the only way to break down a defence, and a player of Lawrences nature would have a very limited chance at doing that because he's too one dimensional.
Noah Lolesio is your sort of player and that worked OK, but only because his team is far more creative than Englands for example. The highly organized Irish attack was also another that didn't require much from the 10, but that is now changing with Prendergast who is in that league mold like the most new age 10's.
So it is in fact your two which would require even more change to make the most of than Marcus Smith.
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