Rob Baxter Aims to Reverse Exeter’s Winless Start

Rob Baxter, who became Exeter’s boss in 2009, succeeding Peter Drewett, has expressed confidence in his ability to reverse the club’s current winless streak this season. The Chiefs are currently second-from-bottom in the Premiership table, having experienced six consecutive defeats for the first time within a single campaign. Mr. Baxter holds the distinction of being the Premiership’s longest-serving director of rugby. His tenure began with leading Exeter to the Championship title in 2010 during his inaugural season. Subsequently, he steered the club to six consecutive Premiership finals from 2016 to 2021, securing two victories, and also achieving the European champions title in 2020. Speaking prior to his team’s Premiership Rugby Cup match against Cornish Pirates on Friday, Baxter addressed questions about his job security, stating: “Do I fear the sack? I wouldn’t say fear is the right word. I kind of think if it’s there, if me being moved on is merited, then what will be will be. I think that’s how you have to look at it. Right here and now the only thing I’m kind of disappointed with, and I said this to the players, is not us losing games, it’s looking at the effect it’s having on some of the lads and how disappointed they look at times and how the reactions are making some of them feel with their frustrations and their disappointments.” Baxter indicated that he and his coaching team intend to utilize the upcoming cup period to address and rectify the errors observed during the initial six matches. The Chiefs’ defense has shown vulnerability in multiple games. On Sunday, Harlequins failed to convert several opportunities to increase their 36-point score. Additionally, Bristol managed to overcome a 20-point deficit with only 15 minutes remaining to secure a victory at Sandy Park. Baxter expressed his conviction that he is the appropriate individual to orchestrate his team’s resurgence, as they seek their first competitive victory since May, which is scheduled for Friday in Penzance. The 53-year-old commented: “I feel very fortunate to have the job here at Exeter, it’s my club, I’ve done it for a long time, we’ve had a lot of success we’ve had some great experiences. There are only 10 of us [Premiership bosses] in this country. That’s quite a privilege and you want to make sure that’s what you understand. Whatever it feels like, you’re in a privileged position and you’ve to make the most of it and you’ve got to appreciate it for what it is because I know one thing right here and now, you can walk away from the pressure, but I wouldn’t want to walk away and watch anybody else doing my job. Do I like it when we’re going badly? Of course I don’t. I feel it probably more than pretty much anybody else. But at the same time I also think that it’s a privilege to be the person that has to try and turn that around and that’s how I’m going to view it.” Baxter conveyed his appreciation for the support provided by Exeter chief executive Tony Rowe. Mr. Rowe appointed Baxter in 2009, having previously guided the club through its relocation to Sandy Park and its subsequent ascent within the professional rugby ranks. Baxter remarked: “There’s a lot of people who could have been very reactive in this scenario, but obviously Tony’s very aware of some of the circumstances in the background haven’t been of help to this scenario. I think that helps. We obviously have talked about things in detail a few times now since we’ve been going through this.” He further added: “It’s my job to do things to do things better and get us on the front foot and get us feeling good about how we feel and get numbers through the gate.”