NEW Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Hunter insists there is no overnight solution to returning the club to the top tier of English and European rugby, emphasising that rebuilding the team into title contenders will require patience and methodical work.
“There is no magic wand, we have an awful lot of work to do,” said Hunter after watching his side claim a last-gasp 17-15 victory over Newcastle Falcons in the Gallagher Premiership on Saturday.
“That’s not going to change overnight, it’s going to take an awful lot of effort and communication.”
Greg Fisilau’s try, a minute from time, ensured the Devonians narrowly avoided a Premiership double against the lowly Falcons who, until that point, had given everything in their quest for a first away win since November 2022.
The visitors had put up a creditable defensive showing for large parts of the match, but were also able to flex their muscles in attack, claiming first half tries through Joe Davis and Max Clark, as well as five points from the boot of fly-half Brett Connon.
In reply, the Chiefs countered with first half scores of their own from Will Rigg and Martin Moloney, one of which was converted by Henry Slade, but they were rare highlights in a somewhat spluttering on-field display.
The second half was largely uneventful from both sides, who merely highlighted their current plight as the division’s bottom two.
In the end, it was left to Fisilau to come to the rescue for his side, the No.8 crashing over in the corner having been put into space by a pass from Rus Tuima.
“The fact we got the result at the end didn’t really matter,” said Hunter. “If it had finished two minutes earlier, we’d still have to work on the same things we have to work on.
“Because of the break coming up, we now have a bit of time to work on things, so we’re going to use it wisely. My main focus is we grow strong, we grow more skilful, we become more resilient, and that we get better at what we do.
“Our ambition isn’t not to come last, our ambition is to try and get as far up the league as we can.”
Since assuming his new post, Hunter has talked positively about the future and how he aims to steer the Chiefs onwards and upwards. However, turning that vision into reality will be a task, particularly with a young and inexperienced side, but also the fact that rivals around them are also plotting big and bold statements of intent themselves.
What necessarily worked before for the Chiefs during a glorious era of success, may not necessarily be as successful with this new batch of players. That’s why, Hunter says it’s imperative that for change to succeed, there must be a collective buy-in, on and off the field at Sandy Park.
“There has to be other ways of judging how you play and what you do, other than whether or not you make a game in May,” added Hunter. “For me, the reality is we have to create a club that is about people.
“I got a message the other day from Johann van Graan at Bath and it was one of the most inspirational things I’ve heard in years. He just talked about people and I got a real insight into what they are doing at Bath. Not only do I agree with him, but I have every intention of making sure we do the same.
“We’re actually going to look after the people who are in the building, we’re going to look after the people who are in the town, and we’re going to look after the people in Devon and Cornwall, that’s my aim. The winning will happen off the back of it.
“We’ve done a good job off it in the past, but it’s very difficult sometimes to focus on that. We’ve had to narrow our focus really over the last couple of years, including making a massive effort to make sure we had a club. Now, we’re in a really good place, investment is going up, things are going forward and we can really expand what we do now.”
Exeter Chiefs: H Skinner; P Brown-Bampoe, H Slade, W Rigg (T Tua 47), J Hodge; B Coen (B Hammersley 71), S Townsend (T Cairns 43); S Sio (K Blose), J Yeandle (M Norey), J Iosefa-Scott (J Roots); D Jenkins (capt), F Molina (R Tuima 43); M Moloney (K James 67), R Capstick, G Fisilau.
Tries: Rigg, Moloney, Fisilau; Conversion: Slade
Newcastle Falcons: E Obatoyinbo; A Hearle (M McCallum 43), C Doherty, M Clark (O Spencer 57), B Stevenson; B Connon, J Davis (S Stuart 61); A Brocklebank (M Rewcastle 73), J Blamire, R Palframan; J Hawkins, S de Chaves; F Lockwood, C Nield (O Leatherbarrow 73), C Chick (capt). Replacements (not used): O Fletcher, A Scott, K Wilkinson.
Tries: Davis, Clark; Conversion: Connon; Penalty: Connon
Yellow Card: Palframan
Referee: A Leal
Attendance: 9,981