Baxter hails ‘magical’ Exeter performance
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Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter branded his team’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final display as “magical” as the 2020 champions powered into the last four.
The Gallagher Premiership outfit brushed aside DHL Stormers 42-17 as they ran in six tries at Sandy Park last Saturday to set up a trip to reigning champions Stade Rochelais on April 30.
It is the first time Exeter have reached the semi-finals since their triumphant 2020 campaign and Baxter heaped praise on his squad after their impressive performance.
“Fair play to the players, they executed it absolutely flat out,” he told Exeter’s website. “Even when we got a little bit wrong, because we were going flat out, most of it came off.
“There was a period in the second half for about 15 minutes where we got a little out of shape, a little bit indecisive, but that was the only thing that gave the Stormers a bit of breathing space.
“Other than that, I can’t credit the players enough for the way they decide to play today. All we can do is create opportunities for them.
“I talk to the lads a lot – and today was one of those occasions – where they have 80 minutes where they can go out and do something absolutely magical and create some incredible memories that will live with them for the rest of their lives.
“All they have to do is commit to that together and that’s what they did. That first half, in a lot of ways, was magical and something people can only touch every now and then. Unless you are part of it, you don’t really understand it.”
Baxter was keen to reiterate the ‘dirty work’ Exeter did in order to see off DHL Stormers, acknowledging the immense work rate of his players across the 80 minutes.
“I think the things that we were really good at today were those ’no glory’ moments,” he added.
“Loads of people will talk about today’s performance and talk about certain players and certain plays, but the guys who made everything work were those guys who do the stuff with no glory.
“By that I mean, the stuff in the middle of scrums, the stuff in the middle of mauls, the stuff in kick chase, it’s the stuff that people don’t really notice. They were the incredible things and we did that across the board.
“For me, personally, I would put (the performance) near the top.”
