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'Looking at their body language, I questioned whether they were shot' - Rob Baxter

By PA
Dafydd Jenkins of Exeter Chiefs celebrates winning a scrum penalty during the Investec Champions Cup Pool 3 Round 2 match between Exeter Chiefs and Munster at Sandy Park in Exeter, England. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter feels his side showed “massive character” in overturning a nine-point deficit to defeat Munster 32-24 and post a second narrow Champions Cup success in as many weeks.

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The hosts were comfortably second best after 65 minutes, trailing 24-13, with the visitors having outscored them by four tries to one at Sandy Park.

However, two tries in two minutes turned the game on its head with Henry Slade’s last-gasp interception try robbing Munster of a losing bonus point, which puts in jeopardy their hopes of qualifying for the next round of the competition.

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Dan Frost, Jack Dunne and Ross Vintcent and Slade scored Exeter’s tries, with Slade converting three and adding two penalties.

Tom Ahern, Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch and Shane Daly scored Munster’s tries, with Jack Crowley kicking two conversions.

Baxter said: “When they scored just after half-time, I looked at our players behind the posts and looking at their body language, I questioned whether they were shot, but they went on to show massive character.

Rob Baxter
Press Association
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“We had to stay in the fight and take our opportunities as Munster have great tradition and were here to win.

“They adopted a great attacking policy and it nearly succeeded in beating us.

“We defended the rucks too compactly as we had four men within inches of it defending nothing and our backs didn’t defend with sufficient width.

“We took too long to work that out but we succeeded in doing that by the second half when we also elected to kick more.

“We took three points to stay in contention and then took our chances to win the game.”

Slade kicked the match-winning conversion last weekend to give Exeter a 19-18 win at Toulon, and once again Slade was the hero with a match tally of 17 points.

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22m Entries

Avg. Points Scored
2.8
9
Entries
Avg. Points Scored
3
8
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“He’s just loving it and he’s training like a young man and playing like he was when he was first called up by England,” Baxter said of the 30-year-old.

It was a different story in the Munster camp, who were on the wrong end of a number of refereeing calls.

Harvey Skinner was perhaps fortunate to escape a yellow card for a high challenge on Crowley while it took endless TMO replays before Slade’s try was awarded.

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R
RedWarrior 30 minutes ago
Records show All Blacks' greatest rugby adversary is now Ireland

Foster was literally whinging about the TMO in the Ireland series in the presser AFTER the RWC final. NZs whinging about the final itself was apparently picked up by Voyager 2 which was near the asteroid belt. What about the whingefest and crybabies after O'Mahony's legendary sledge (during the match) on Sam Cane?


I often hear talk about NZ players being poisoned or similar nonsense during the 1995 final. NZ boast that they are 'superstars' and 'humble heroes' on their own website. You gave England the same treatment in 2002-2003, calling them arrogant just because they beat you. They told the rest of us then what you were like, we should have listened. I would give as much credence to a NZ supporter disliking us, as I would to Krusty the clown saying the same thing. Let's just say your judgement may not be the best.


Regarding 2016, as the referee had basically let NZ away with cheating their way to victory via filthy dangerous play and fouling he was hardly going to pull Sexton up when clearly trying to stop a grounding. NZ always leave the boot or arm in to hurt a try scorer but that seems to be invisible to you entitles lot.


BTW NZ have literally being whinging and crying about Ireland since Soldier field. You are just very bad losers. We will be delighted to be shot of you on Friday. I hope we do so with a win, so that you rethink your philosophy of mocking opponents and spectators you've just beaten.


After the match last Saturday the internet was full of Kiwi supporters basically abusing English folk. Where is your national honour? Where is your national integrity?

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