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Rob Baxter drops scary admission after Toulouse rip Exeter asunder
By PA
Rob Baxter admitted that some of Toulouse’s rugby was “almost undefendable” after his Exeter team suffered a 64-21 Investec Champions Cup mauling at Sandy Park.
It equalled Exeter’s heaviest defeat in the competition and it was the most points they had conceded at home since gaining Premiership status.
Six-time tournament winners Toulouse were in irresistible form, collecting five first-half tries from Antoine Dupont, Julien Marchand, Matthis Lebel, Thibaud Flament and Pierre-Louis Barassi to leave Exeter reeling.
“There were a few things they did that were almost undefendable and a couple of set-plays from set-piece were very difficult for us to get on top of,” Exeter rugby director Baxter said.
“We looked like a team that is kind of struggling with that level of confidence to let ourselves play. We don’t quite move the ball when we have got opportunities.
“We kind of got ourselves back into the game just after half-time and scored some points, but then our confidence to keep at it and then weather – that bit of a storm when they had the ball – is just eluding us at the minute, but I am pretty confident it will come.
“We have learnt some lessons today, but I don’t mind us playing these games.
“Playing against good teams should make you better and the important thing is that we do get better from today and we don’t go into our shells.
“When you are a team that is building itself back to where you want to be, you have to take your licks, but it is the experience you gain from doing it that prepares you for the next time. That’s where we are at the moment.”
It was the Chiefs’ ninth-successive defeat in major competitions this season and they simply had no answer to Toulouse’s pace, power and relentless support-play.
Lebel and Barassi completed doubles early in the second period before Theo Ntamack, Blair Kinghorn and Paul Graou scored as Toulouse took their try tally to 10.
Full-back Thomas Ramos kicked seven conversions, while wing Tommy Wyatt scored two tries for Exeter and Josh Hodge also crossed, all converted by Henry Slade.
Exeter must now regroup for next Saturday’s Premiership clash away to Sale, making the trip north following seven league defeats in a row that means they currently prop up the table.
Baxter added: “For us, we need to play games of rugby. We don’t need to run away from games of rugby, we need to embrace them and get on and play them. That is how we are going to improve.
“We are training well and you can see from the lads that they are not lacking in fighting spirit.”
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During the seventies, I was a journalist at the Cape Times and and because of my connection with WP athletics and rugby I personally knew many of the players and administrators. None of them were anywhere near as accessible as Rassie - not just to journalists but to the rugby fans in SA. I live in Bloubergstrand and the most popular sports bar in the hood is called Doodles. Every now and then, I’d say at least once a month, Rassie pops in and chats to local fans. The last person that I can remember of that stature, who was that accessible to supporters, was Jan Pickard who used to talk to people queueing outside Newlands and would desert the formal after match functions after about an hour or so and pop into the Springbok pub near Newlands. To say that Rassie is sociable is a monstrous understatement. I wonder if this has anything to do with the coaching environment he has created.
Go to commentsGeorge Ford was a disaster during the Autumn internationals. His defence is non existant, he is slow and other than booting the ball up in the air for others to chase I cannot see how he merits a place.
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