Baxter delighted as Exe deliver on their promise

Comeback draw shows significant signs of improvement on 2024/25 campaign

- STUART JAMES [e-mail]

EXETER Chiefs director of rugby, Rob Baxter, felt his side delivered on preseason promises made that this coming campaign will be a much happier one for supporters at Sandy Park

The Chiefs kicked off the new PREM season with a superb second half performance at Northampton Saints on Sunday that saw them turn a 33-7 halftime deficit into a 33-33 draw thanks to tries from Paul Brown-Bampoe, Ross Vintcent (2) and a second from Immanual Feyi-Waboso, after he'd also dotted down in the first half.

Chiefs could even have gone on to win the game, but were reduced to 14 men when Josh Hodge was red carded in the 71st minute. However, taking three points from a notoriously difficult away day is a decent start to the new season ahead of Saturday's clash with Newcastle Red Bulls.