Baxter reflects on Saracens defeat

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter insisted he would not panic despite seeing his side’s 15-match winning streak at Sandy Park ended by visiting Saracens.

The boot of Charlie Hodgson proved to be the Chiefs undoing in the second half after they had raced into an early lead through James Short’s intercept try against his former club and two Gareth Steenson penalties.

Samuela Vunisa’s try just before the interval also proved important as the home side turned around from a first half with a strong wind behind them with only an 11-5 lead.

And after the break the Chiefs were made to pay as Saracens, who moved five points clear at the top of the Aviva Premiership table, turned the screw with three successful penalties from Hodgson’s boot to give them a 14-11 success.

Baxter’s charges stay second in the table, but it marked a first defeat on home soil for the first time in 13 months in all competitions.

“Obviously it was a tough game,” said Baxter. “Games against Saracens tend to be close and we have just come out on the wrong side of a tight game.

“I’m more than happy to hold my hand up and say a fair bit of it was our own failings and the period just before half time where we got fairly ill-disciplined has ultimately cost us. We survived the pressure two or three times, but we seemed determined to give Saracens as many opportunities as possible to go to the corner and ultimately they got one over the line.

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