Hunter prepared to 'rip up' Exeter to bring back success

Rob Hunter joined Exeter 12 years ago as forwards coach having previously been in charge of England's Under-20 side

Newly-appointed Exeter head coach Rob Hunter says he will examine every facet of his side's game to get them to improve.

Hunter took over after Ali Hepher was demoted last week in the light of the club's worst season since being promoted to the Premiership in 2010.

His first game saw Exeter beaten 52-38 by Bristol in a thrilling 14-try encounter at Ashton Gate as the Chiefs remain second-from bottom of the Premiership with two wins from 12 games.

"There's so many things that we need to work on right now, it's just prioritising which ones we can do that will be urgent in the short term and which ones we can deal with over a slightly longer period," Hunter told BBC Radio Devon.

"There's not really any areas of the programme I'm not prepared to rip up in terms of getting better, be that how we attack, how we defend, our set-piece, our kick battle transition, what we do off the field - all of it.

"But we have got an incredibly committed group of lads, an incredibly committed group of staff who have come through probably the toughest period that the club has ever had in the last two or three years."

Period of 'absolute hardship'

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter (right) will continue to oversee the rugby operation at Sandy Park

Having lost many of their established international stars in the summer of 2023, a new-look youthful Exeter side finished seventh last season with 10 wins from 16 games.

But this season things have not gone to plan, with defeat in the Premiership Rugby Cup final last week extinguishing any hopes of ending the campaign with some silverware.

Hunter says the financial repercussions that stem from the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago are still being felt.

He says Hepher, director of rugby Rob Baxter and chief executive Tony Rowe should be praised for their work in keeping the club solvent while the likes of Wasps, London Irish and Worcester Warriors all ceased trading.

"The reality is that Ali and Rob and Tony have led the club through a period of absolute hardship," Hunter said.

"We've had to make some real choices just to make sure that the club was here in a couple of years time and they've done that.

"I get the benefit of picking up the baton after that, but the reality is they've done all the hard work and pain over the last couple of years because we're sitting here, we've got a club, we're driving our investment up we're recruiting well, we're pushing back towards the cap, everything is on an upward curve for us."