Exeter’s remarkable rise from Prem strugglers to finalists

Exeter boss Rob Baxter says his side’s rise from their worst season to a Prem final is one of his greatest achievements.

The Chiefs fought back from 26-10 down to win 27-26 at Bath and book a first final spot in five years.

The victory came a year after the club’s worst campaign when they finished ninth in the Prem and suffered the heaviest defeat in their history – a 79-17 loss at Gloucester just over a year ago.

A team that had reached six successive Prem finals – winning two and also clinching a European Champions Cup in 2020 – going to a side with just four wins all season, two of which were against under-strength opponents, rang alarm bells at Sandy Park.

But a year on, after a transformative season on and off the field, Baxter prepares to make his Twickenham return against table toppers Northampton.

“To look at players on the field fighting to a standstill like they did today, and some of those lads are the same lads who were losing by 80 points at Gloucester at the end of last season,” he told BBC Sport.

“It’s the same players, but it’s different men, and that makes me incredibly proud.”