I'm prepared to rip anything up to improve - Hunter

NEW Exeter head coach Rob Hunter says he has taken charge at the right time even though the Chiefs are enduring their worst Premiership campaign since they were promoted 15 years ago.

- PAUL REES

Yesterday's clash with Newcastle at Sandy Park was a bottom of the table affair with the Chiefs ninth in the table, above the Falcons through the bonus points they had accumulated.

"Becoming head coach is a very special moment for me and I feel great pride," said Hunter, whose first match after taking over from Ali Hepher was against Bristol at Ashton Gate last weekend.

"The reality is that Ali, Rob (Baxter, director of rugby) and Tony (Rowe, chairman) have led the club through a period of absolute hardship. We've had to make some real choices just to make sure that the club was there in a couple of years time and they've done that.

"I get the benefit of picking up the baton after that, but they've done all the hard work and endured the pain over the last couple of years because we're sitting here, we've got a club, we're driving our investment up, we're recruiting well, we're pushing back towards the cap and everything is on an upward curve."