Exeter hungrier than ever

Editor

Rob Baxter is happy to see his Exeter Chiefs squad hungrier than ever for success ahead of the new campaign.

Exeter narrowly missed out on fourth place in the Premiership on the final day of the season, giving them extra fuel for motivation.

Baxter doesn't see any sign of the side slowing down despite their impressive fifth-place finish.

"You always worry when you've had your best season to date, as we had last year, whether some players will take that as an opportunity to draw breath and think 'everything's great' or whether they get inspired by it. But they want to work hard and want to achieve more," Baxter told the BBC.

Baxter added that he hoped competing for something valuable on the last day of the season would be a beneficial experience.

"We've not been in a season in the Premiership yet where that last game, other than for pride or how it might have affected someone else, has mattered," explained Baxter.

"That was the first time we were genuinely really playing for something right up until the final seconds of the season.

"That's something that I hope the players have been inspired by and that they want to have that experience again – going into the last games in the Premiership with everything is to fight for."