For the Exeter Chiefs, the new rugby season is less about clawing back to the top than it is about wiping clean the slate of last year’s humiliations. After a disastrous plummet to their all-time low in the league post-promotion, coupled with a coaching carousel that saw Omar Mouneimne, Ali Hepher, and Rob Hunter exit stage left, the Devon club is thirsty for vengeance and respect.
The Chiefs have been strategic in their comeback bid, capitalizing on increased salary caps and revenue spikes to overhaul their squad. New blood has been pumped in with the likes of Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper, and Julian Heaven from Australia, Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba, and a duo of Italian internationals, Stephen Varney and Andrea Zambonin, among others. The coaching staff hasn't been left untouched either, with Dave Walder stepping in to rejuvenate the attack under the watchful eye of the reinstated director of rugby, Rob Baxter.
"This season is about regaining respect,"
Paul Brown-Bampoe, the team’s star winger, expressed a raw mix of frustration and motivation stemming from last season’s failures. "When you’re losing games by 50-point margins, you just look at yourself and think ‘What the **** is going on’. How can I say I’m a professional rugby player and I’m letting these scorelines happen, and I’m on the pitch when they’re happening," he lamented.
The upcoming campaign is not just about improvement for the Chiefs; it's about redemption and restoring dignity. "This season is about regaining respect within this league. Not necessarily for what we’ve been known for in the past, but for what we’re becoming; a team with an incredibly dangerous backline, dynamic, mobile forwards who can take teams on from any part of the pitch," Brown-Bampoe added.
With a slew of high-caliber signings across the league and teams like Newcastle, revitalized by new ownership, the competition promises to be fiercer than ever. However, Exeter is focusing inward, ensuring that their preparation is thorough, from fitness to game tactics.
"Dave’s completely reinvigorated our attack,"
Brown-Bampoe praised new assistant coach Dave Walder for his transformative impact on the team's offensive strategies. "He’s placed massive emphasis on skill levels and maintaining the quality of them, and that’s been exactly what we needed," he explained. With a robust pre-season under their belts, the Chiefs are poised to tackle their opening fixtures with a newfound vigor and perhaps, a touch of spite, as they aim to turn last year's disgrace into this season's triumph.
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For the Exeter Chiefs, the new rugby season is less about clawing back to the top than it is about wiping clean the slate of last year’s humiliations. After a disastrous plummet to their all-time low in the league post-promotion, coupled with a coaching carousel that saw Omar Mouneimne, Ali Hepher, and Rob Hunter exit stage left, the Devon club is thirsty for vengeance and respect.
The Chiefs have been strategic in their comeback bid, capitalizing on increased salary caps and revenue spikes to overhaul their squad. New blood has been pumped in with the likes of Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper, and Julian Heaven from Australia, Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba, and a duo of Italian internationals, Stephen Varney and Andrea Zambonin, among others. The coaching staff hasn't been left untouched either, with Dave Walder stepping in to rejuvenate the attack under the watchful eye of the reinstated director of rugby, Rob Baxter.
"This season is about regaining respect,"
Paul Brown-Bampoe, the team’s star winger, expressed a raw mix of frustration and motivation stemming from last season’s failures. "When you’re losing games by 50-point margins, you just look at yourself and think ‘What the **** is going on’. How can I say I’m a professional rugby player and I’m letting these scorelines happen, and I’m on the pitch when they’re happening," he lamented.
The upcoming campaign is not just about improvement for the Chiefs; it's about redemption and restoring dignity. "This season is about regaining respect within this league. Not necessarily for what we’ve been known for in the past, but for what we’re becoming; a team with an incredibly dangerous backline, dynamic, mobile forwards who can take teams on from any part of the pitch," Brown-Bampoe added.
With a slew of high-caliber signings across the league and teams like Newcastle, revitalized by new ownership, the competition promises to be fiercer than ever. However, Exeter is focusing inward, ensuring that their preparation is thorough, from fitness to game tactics.
"Dave’s completely reinvigorated our attack,"
Brown-Bampoe praised new assistant coach Dave Walder for his transformative impact on the team's offensive strategies. "He’s placed massive emphasis on skill levels and maintaining the quality of them, and that’s been exactly what we needed," he explained. With a robust pre-season under their belts, the Chiefs are poised to tackle their opening fixtures with a newfound vigor and perhaps, a touch of spite, as they aim to turn last year's disgrace into this season's triumph.