Jack Yeandle: Exeter captain urges champions to be Premiership 'aggressors'

Jack Yeandle joined Exeter in 2010 and was named skipper in October 2015

Exeter Chiefs captain Jack Yeandle says the Premiership champions must stay on the front foot if they are to build on their success this upcoming season.

The 27-year-old hooker played 26 times last term as the Devon side beat Wasps to become English champions in May.

"It's very much about going out and firing the shot, and not looking for teams to fire shots at us," he said.

"You don't want teams coming at you, you want to be the ones going at teams and antagonising the opposition."

Chiefs begin the defence of their title away at Gloucester on Friday 1 September.

Asked about Exeter's pre-season, Yeandle added to BBC Sport: "That's what it's there for, to make sure you are ready to absolutely fly into the first game - you're ready to be the aggressor in the games."

• Exeter start title defence at Gloucester

• 'It's been a long journey' - how Exeter became Premiership champions

Head coach Rob Baxter has targeted an improvement in Europe as one of the club's main objectives next season after they went out of the European Champions Cup in the group stage.

Exeter started the 2016-17 campaign with four defeats from their first six Premiership games before going on a record-equalling 17 league matches unbeaten, a streak that remains intact.

"The boss sent out an email saying 'that was last season, what are you going to do this season to better it? What are you going to do to achieve further success?'," added Yeandle.

"Yes, we know looking around that we've done it once, but what's to stop us doing it twice?"