Baxter wants Exeter response after Gloucester loss
Rob Baxter's side have lost their last two Prem matches [Getty Images] Exeter boss Rob Baxter says he is unhappy with the attitude his players showed in their 34-31 loss at Gloucester. Chiefs conceded four tries before half-time, but rallied to get within three points of the Cherry and Whites before Ethan Roots was sent off in the closing stages. Despite the defeat - which came almost a year after the club's record 79-17 loss at Kingsholm - Exeter remain fourth in the Prem with four games to go.
"I'm frustrated by how things unravelled around that lack of emotional preparedness for the game," Baxter told BBC Radio Devon. "I said before the game my biggest concern was actually that Gloucester had been on the end of quite a bad scoreline last week, because it's actually rare that you don't get emotional responses in teams. "Gloucester did get an emotional response, and I think maybe we did as well, but our emotional response was backwards, not forwards, and theirs was certainly a step up.
" Gloucester edge past play-off chasing Chiefs How Exeter recovered from record 79-17 defeat Exeter made eight changes to their side with one eye on this Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final at Ulster. Baxter defended his decision to make so many changes - with six of them coming in his forward pack. "I still think we did the right thing making some changes because we can't just keep running the group over and over again and we have to improve," he said.
"We have to improve the depth. We're not going to improve it without it playing against some tough lessons. "The good thing we can do, with some of the guys who stepped in today and potentially aren't going to be involved next week, is they can have a bit of a tough review this week based on what they have to do and how they have to turn up and perform.
" Australia centre Len Ikitau made his return to the Exeter side after four months out with a shoulder injury [Getty Images] Having not reached the play-offs since 2021, Exeter's hopes of a return are still in their hands. They are a point above fifth-placed Bristol in the final play-off place and three behind third-placed Leicester, who were beaten at Saracens on Saturday. Exeter face a tough end to the season with fixtures against second-placed Bath, Harlequins, Leicester and sixth-placed Saracens in their final four Prem games.