Baxter wants Exeter to get more 'competitive edge'

Rob Baxter will begin his 16th season in charge of Exeter Chiefs

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter says small improvements in his side could reap big rewards in the forthcoming Premiership season.

Baxter's young squad finished seventh last season - six points off a play-off place.

The likes of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Greg Fisilau, Josh Hodge and Dafydd Jenkins gained valuable game time after the club had lost long-serving, experienced players last summer.

"We've got to to find a way to add that extra competitive edge to get those couple more victories and then we'll be right up there and we can have a great season," Baxter told BBC Radio Devon.

"I want to come out at the end of season and go 'we're better, our young players have matured further, they're more experienced'," the Exeter boss added.

Rob Baxter guided Exeter to the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup last season when they were beaten at French side Toulouse

Exeter won a European Champions Cup and Premiership double in 2020 and reached the Premiership final 12 months later, but the Chiefs have seen their domestic success tail off.

Having reached six successive Premiership finals between 2016 and 2021 the club has finished seventh for the past three years, although Exeter did make the semi-finals of the Champions Cup two years ago, and the last eight last season.

Last summer saw the likes of Stuart Hogg, Jack Nowell, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Dave Ewers all leave after successful spells, as younger players got their chance.

"If we pick up more international caps across the squad, if we move forward and we're a bit more competitive away from home it won't necessarily replicate itself straightaway in points and league position, but actually just little bits of improvement are what eventually get you to where you want to go," Baxter said.

"That's all we did before. We improved the team, we matured the team, we added to it as we needed to go along and you end up winning something at the end of day.

"That's what we've got to focus on - just keeping getting better and keeping moving forward."

Exeter were one of seven sides with a chance of making the play-offs before the final game of last season, in what was the closest Premiership race ever.

Exeter begin the new campaign at home to Leicester on 21 September before travelling to champions Northampton a week later.

"It's looking massively competitive," Baxter said.

"You can't look at any of the squads of the top four or five teams last year and go 'they're not going to be good squads and good teams again' because they are.

"They'll have gained some experience and they'll be ready to try to push on.

"It's going to be an incredible season, what we've got to really focus on is getting these pre-season games done right and we'll go from there."

A final day loss at Leicester Tigers ended any outside hopes Exeter had of making the Premiership play-offs