Prem final 2026: Can Exeter complete remarkable title-winning turnaround?

“Rob is an emotional guy, very emotional about the club, passionate about it,” former Exeter fly-half Gareth Steenson tells BBC South West.

“I know last year definitely hurt him.

“I think it’s probably just that connection again with the squad, it looks like they’re all connected in what they do and they’ve all bought into what they’re trying to achieve.”

Steenson knows more than most what it means to win with Exeter.

The Ulsterman, who is now attack coach for Ireland’s women’s team, spent 12 years as a Chiefs player and four as a coach until leaving two years ago.

He scored the winning points when Exeter won promotion to the Premiership in 2010 before kicking the vital score as he captained the Chiefs to their first title in 2017.

He also helped Exeter reach every Prem final from 2016 to his retirement in 2020, winning a league a European double in his final season.

“I know that pre-season was meant to be out in the sand dunes, running around, things that we would experience even with Championship level, but it builds bonds that are slightly different, and I think you can see that

“That emotion, that’s probably just a release of a couple of years.

“It’s been difficult a couple of years, but knowing that he’s got a good group around him, they all feel part of it, they look like a team that’s fighting for each other, that’s the biggest thing that I can see from the outside.

“Chatting to a couple of lads, they do talk about that it’s not too dissimilar than it was a few years back, and that’s exactly what you want to see.”