International snub powering Chiefs’ charge for title

FLANKER Don Armand reckons Exeter’s players can prove their Test credentials by claiming the Premiership title after using this season’s England snubs to rocket up the table.

Second-placed Chiefs have enjoyed the best record of any top-flight side during the campaign’s two Test windows, securing six wins and a draw in seven league games during November and the Six Nations while garnering six impressive try bonus points along the way.

Armand, right, told The Rugby Paper: “We’re really hitting our stride at the right time of the season and although other teams have lost more players to internationals, we’ve had injuries and some callups ourselves and you just kind of expect people to step in.

“We’ve obviously been able to capitalise during the Six Nations period but it’s not something we focussed on. When lost our senior scrum-halves Will Chudley and Dave Lewis, two young No.9s in Stu Townsend and Jack Maunder came in and excelled.

“England’s squad is going very well and it would be hard to argue with selection, but fans talk about these things and obviously we want to see people go up to higher levels, which is massive for the guys who are in there and something we all aspire to.

“Jack Nowell’s in there, Henry Slade’s been chomping at the bit and guys like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ollie Devoto, Dave Ewers, Sam Hill and myself are looking to put their best feet forward with Exeter to win trophies and get on England’s end of season tour.”

Armand, who toured South Africa with the Saxons last summer, insists Exeter can go all the way after last season’s Premiership final defeat by Saracens.

He added: “We’re confident because we’ve got a new target. Last year we were just happy to have made the final, but we’ve got that out of the way now and this year the goals are make the top two, then make the final, and we have our eye on winning it.”

Fellow top-four challengers Leicester also excelled during Test periods, winning six of their seven games, while Wasps, Bath and Saracens achieved positive records.

However, Newcastle, Sale, Worcester and Bristol failed to capitalise on a relative lack of international call-ups, winning just eight of 28 games between them.

NEALE HARVEY