Match Preview – Exeter v Bath
Ruaridh McConnochie insists Bath will be winners this weekend even if they don’t lift the Premiership Rugby Cup for the first time since its inception in 2019.
Exeter stand between Bath and their first trophy since Steve Borthwick led them to victory against Worcester in the 2008 European Challenge Cup final. But whatever the result at Sandy Park today, the former Test and Olympic winger says the competition has been massively beneficial for the club.
As one of the senior heads heavily involved in the run to the final, the 33-year-old has particularly enjoyed seeing the growth of Bath’s next generation talent.
Utility back Ciaran Donoghue is one of those to really grasp his opportunity, having moved from full-back to cover fly-half in the absence of the injured Orlando Bailey.
“It’s so good to see him just slot into the 10 position. Orlando was first choice throughout the Prem Cup; he gets an injury and Kieran just steps up straight into it like nothing has changed,” said McConnochie.
“It is awesome to be able to rotate the way that we have throughout the tournament and still be able to attack the way we want and defend the way we want against whatever 15 is put against us.
“Regardless of the outcome on Sunday it has been an incredible competition to be involved in, for us as a club, and for me personally, I have massively enjoyed it, too.
Club Depth
“Someone said we’d used 49 players. The depth that we have in this club now compared to previous years has been shown throughout.
“What I have loved seeing the most is the youngsters stepping up and making hits against fully grown men who have been playing in the Prem for the last 10 years.
“They are here because they are good enough, it is making sure they know that, and doing what you can to help them maximise their potential on the pitch.
“Being that more experienced player I have been trying to help guide them through and give them confidence to back their own ability. I think the future is very bright for the club.”
McConnochie’s own future is still very much up in the air. The twice-capped England international is out of contract at the end of the season and there has reportedly been interest from Newcastle, the side Bath beat to make it through to this weekend’s final.
McConnochie’s Future
“To be fair, I am unsure about what I want to do. It is still to be decided,” he said, when asked what lies beyond the end of this campaign.
“I love rugby, and don’t get me wrong I’d love to keep playing. But if you’d have told me at 22/23, when I got my first one-year contract at England 7s, that I would be playing 10 years later I’d have bitten your hand off at the time.
“I appreciate it much more now that I am at peace with whatever will happen.
“I know I am at an age where I am in the last year or so of my career, and I just enjoying being out there and being out there on the pitch and making the most of it.
“I still love training with the guys here but I images also know at some stage we all retire. It is about making sure I have got enough options on the table so that I can be the person that makes that choice and do what is best for me and my wife.”
McConnochie has performed well in covering for the injured Will Muir in Europe and in the Premiership, and his performances in the Cup have been top drawer, too, with seven tries in six appearances.
Getting Game Time
“Before the first round of the Prem Cup I hadn’t got as much game time as I’d have wanted, so I really enjoyed the first block of three games, being that older head in the team.
“I think the first game I played in I was 15 years older than the youngest guy in our team and I was sort of like, ‘am I just the old bloke in denial, sticking around here?’ But I’ve loved it.
“It’s been cool to get on the end of a few tries but it’s just been cool to watch some of these guys develop from the first game away to Ampthill to now, stepping into a final this Sunday.”
Whilst the Gallagher Premiership trophy is the one that Bath crave most, the Premiership Cup would ease the pressure of expectation slightly on a Bath squad that is learning how to win when the pressure is on whatever personnel is picked.
McConnochie has won an Olympic silver medal and a Commonwealth bronze in sevens but to pick up a winner’s medal before potentially his last season in blue, black and white is out, would be another career highlight.
He added: “Everyone dreams of that, going out being carried on everyone’s shoulders. It would be awesome.”
READ MORE: Fire in the belly for a trophy admits Ethan Roots
Teams
EXETER CHIEFS: Wyatt, Brown-Bampoe, Hawkins, Tua, Hodge, Skinner, Townsend; Sio, Yeandle (c), Iosefa-Scott, Molina, Tshiunza, Roots, Vermeulen, Fisilau Replacements: Frost, Blose, Street, Pearson, Capstick, Cairns, Haydon-Wood, Rigg BATH: Emens, Cokanasiga, Redpath, Butt, McConnochie, Donoghue, Carr-Smith;
Cordwell, Spandler, Verden, Jeanes, Richards (c), Green, Staddon, Barbeary Replacements: Dunn, Obano, du Toit, Reid, Pepper, Schreuder, Ojomoh, Coetzee
Referee: Sara Cox
