It may have not been intentional, but Exeter club captain Jack Yeandle believes the Chiefs have in recent weeks found a way to win ‘ugly’.
With just three rounds of the Aviva Premiership season remaining, the Devon club have guaranteed their place in the end of season play-offs – and are currently on course to have a home semi-final in the last four.
However, maintaining their top two billing hasn’t always been easy, despite Rob Baxter’s side accruing maximum hauls against Sale Sharks and Bristol Rugby in their last two home games.
“We have proved, not intentionally, that we can win ugly,” said Yeandle. “We know we’ve not been firing on all cylinders in the last two games, but we’ve still been picking up results.
“As a team we’ve been forced to work really hard and dig really deep at times, but we’ve come through and that’s the mark of a good side. The lads certainly had all hands on deck [against Bristol] because it was a very physical game.
“Bristol came down with nothing to lose, they punished pretty much every mistake we made, and they chucked everything at it. You have to give them a lot of credit for the way they played, but at the same time we dug deep – especially late on – and we were able to get the result.”
Next up for the Chiefs is Friday night’s trip to the Twickenham Stoop and a mouth-watering encounter against Harlequins (7:45pm).
“Where we finish is ultimately up to us,” added the hooker. “We’re in the play-offs, but now the aim is to get that home semi-final. Whether we get it or not, that will come down to us and what we do on the pitch over these last few weeks.
“Quins, we know, will be a real threat. They like to attack, they live off a high tempo game and mistakes the opposition make, so it’s up to us to make sure we’re on our game from minute one.
“We have to go there, throw everything at it, bring a huge amount of physicality and effort, and focus on ourselves. That’s what we are good at and it’s what makes us as a team.”
