Rob Baxter urges Exeter Chiefs to snap five-match losing run against fellow Premiership strugglers Newcastle – as director of rugby believes resurgence is imminent

Rob Baxter has loaded pressure on his Exeter side to break a five-match run of Premiership defeats when they face fellow strugglers Newcastle – but believes a Chiefs’ resurgence is imminent.

This is unfamiliar territory for the man who has been in charge of the Devon club for more than 15 years; not Kingston Park, venue for Friday’s tense encounter, but having his back against the wall after a series of setbacks. 

Exeter suffered a last-minute loss in their season opener against Leicester and were narrowly beaten by champions Northampton the following weekend. After losing 29-14 at Saracens, Baxter’s side contrived to blow a 32-12 lead and go down 40-35 at the hands of Bristol.

Having also lost their last league game last season, it is a sustained problem period for the club who were Premiership finalists six years in a row, from 2016 to 2021. 

The experienced but embattled director of rugby is quite prepared to accept that the stakes are high on Tyneside, as his team face opponents who have lost 25 consecutive games and are bottom of the table with a points difference of -100 after just four rounds of the new campaign.

‘They’re going to be hunting for a first win,’ said Baxter, in reference to Steve Diamond’s Newcastle. ‘I can’t believe they don’t look at the table and go, “This is our best opportunity”. That creates a little bit of pressure on them as well, and we’re in the same boat.

‘We haven’t been in this position before. We’re needing to win; we don’t want to be bottom of the table after the weekend. It’s obviously a pressure game. Everyone will be nervous – us and Newcastle. I think it’s going to be a humdinger of a game.’

Attempting to pinpoint the cause of Exeter’s recent struggles, Baxter added: ‘The hardest part for us to learn may be composure in the heat of battle, but our players are in that battle, fighting and with a desperation to do well. Sooner or later, we will get to where we want to go. It’s coming. I have very little doubt that some big performances are just around the corner.’

There is no question that Exeter have badly missed the experience and reassuring, match-winning presence of England centre Henry Slade, who guided them to several tight victories last season, but has been recovering from shoulder surgery in the summer. They have also had to cope without Wales captain and pack talisman Dafydd Jenkins – another enforced injury absentee.

A new generation of Chiefs have emerged since an exodus saw Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds and his brother Joe move to France, while Jonny Hill, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom O’Flaherty relocated to Sale. 

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and – this season – Paul Brown-Bampoe have burst on to the scene as deadly threats out wide, but Wales forward Christ Tshiunza has not been able to command a regular, settled starting place.

England flanker Ethan Roots has been recalled to the starting XV by Baxter, but the visitors will face proud, motivated Falcons, desperate to deliver a riposte to their critics. Diamond insisted the heat is on Baxter’s side, saying: ‘I think there’s more pressure on Exeter than there is on us.

‘It’s an unusual position for them to be down in the doldrums with no wins from four. Less than four years ago, they were winning European and Premiership finals but now they’re in the dogfight. It’s not a position they’ll be accustomed to.’