Baxter: Time to stake a claim
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter is hopeful a big finale to the season could prove key in whether or not any of his squad make it onto England’s tour to South Africa.
Baxter met with new England supremo Stuart Lancaster earlier this week at Sandy Park and detailed talks were held over the credentials of a number of the Exeter first team squad.
With the Chiefs set to take part in the final scheduled round of the Aviva Premiership this Saturday at Saracens, Baxter not only wants to keep alive his side’s chances of a possible place in the end of season playoffs, but he wants his players to remind the national selectors of their undoubted talents.
“Saturday is an important game for a number of reasons,” said Baxter. “Personally, I’m not one for guys drifting away simply because it’s the end of the season and that they are thinking about their holidays. I know we have a proud of group of players here, some of whom could be thinking about summer tours. There is a lot of motivation in something like that and I know we have a few guys in with a shout.”
Certainly Baxter believes his side’s displays – not only in the top flight, but also those in Europe – have helped to further enhance the reputations of a number of the current squad to a much wider audience.
“It would be a measure of how well the team have played and how individuals have gone as well if we were to get people selected,” added Baxter. “We’ve made no bones about it, we’re very ambitious and we want to have international players playing for us.
“Any step we can take where the players can drive themselves into international recognition can only be good for them as players and for us as a team.”
The Chiefs have confirmed that six players will be leaving the club at the end of the campaign including former Brumbies scrumhalf Pat Phibbs.
Phibbs is joined by five of the club’s academy youngsters – Herbie Stupple, Jon Vickers, Addison Lockley, Charlie Walker-Blair and James Lightfoot-Brown.
