Rob Baxter has told his Exeter Chiefs players that losing the Prem final last season means they should be aiming to win the title this year, not settle for a repeat performance. The director of rugby made the argument public ahead of the Chiefs’ opening fixture against Gloucester on Saturday.
Exeter finished third in the 2025 Premiership campaign after losing the final to Northampton at Twickenham. Baxter’s side reached the decider by beating Bath in a dramatic semi-final, but the final result left the club short of the trophy. Baxter believes the defeat actually raises the bar for what follows.
“I genuinely think that you’ve got a target winning the Premiership if you’ve lost the final, I just think you have,” Baxter said. “If you lose a final I think you’ve just got a target winning one and if you come up short you come up short and then you can decide whether you’ve had a good season or not. But I just don’t see the point with a group of players that hasn’t changed that much, if I was one of the players I would feel a little disappointed if their head coach is not saying ‘come on lads, we’re going out to win this’.”
The Path To The Final
Exeter’s progress last season was unexpected by many observers. The Chiefs finished second-from-bottom in the 2024-25 Premiership campaign, and few predicted they would reach the final. Their run to Twickenham included the semi-final win over Bath, which Baxter described as dramatic.
The final itself went against Exeter. Northampton emerged victorious at Twickenham, leaving Baxter’s side as runners-up. That outcome has shaped the thinking for the new season, with Baxter arguing that the disappointment should fuel ambition rather than temper it.
What Baxter Said About The Target
Baxter’s central argument is that losing a final creates a clearer obligation to win the next one. He framed the situation in practical terms for his players.
“If you lose a final I think you’ve just got a target winning one,” he said. “If you come up short you come up short and then you can decide whether you’ve had a good season or not.”
He also made a personal appeal to his players. “But I just don’t see the point with a group of players that hasn’t changed that much, if I was one of the players I would feel a little disappointed if their head coach is not saying ‘come on lads, we’re going out to win this’.”
The message is direct: the players have done enough to deserve a target of winning the title, and the coach intends to give them one.
The Season Ahead
Exeter open their Premiership campaign at home to Gloucester on Saturday at 15:05 BST. The match kicks off a demanding stretch for the Chiefs, who face a five-game block of league fixtures plus one European Champions Cup game before the Autumn internationals.
Baxter sees this period as decisive for any team with title ambitions. He pointed out that a significant portion of the season will be played before next month.
“Over a quarter of the Premiership season is going to be gone,” Baxter added. “There’s only 18 games, once that five games has gone if you’re not established in the top half of the Premiership it’s going to be tough to chase it back down again, you’re going to have to put quite a lot of back-to-back wins together.”
He emphasised the importance of getting off to a strong start. “So starting well across this first block of three games before Europe is going to be a massive part of building a successful season.”
Baxter’s calculation is simple: the Premiership is a short competition, and the early fixtures determine who stays in contention.
Why The Group Hasn’t Changed Much
One of Baxter’s key points is that his squad has not changed significantly since last season. He noted that the group of players remains largely intact, which he sees as a reason to keep pushing rather than easing off.
The continuity means the expectations from last season carry forward directly. Baxter wants those expectations to become more ambitious, not less.
The Gloucester Match
Gloucester will provide the first test of Exeter’s intentions. The fixture is a home game for the Chiefs, and Baxter knows the challenge it represents.
“There’s no point running away from it, you’ve got to hit the ground running and that’s what all the teams have been planning on doing, nobody more so than Gloucester, so we’ve got to make sure we get ourselves ready.”
The opening game sets the tone for the whole block. A win would establish Exeter as serious contenders early; a loss would create immediate pressure.
Key Facts Box
- Premiership games: 18
- Season opener: Exeter vs Gloucester, Saturday, 15:05 BST
- Champions Cup game: One fixture in the five-game block
- Autumn internationals: Follow the block of fixtures
- Final last season: Lost to Northampton at Twickenham
- Semifinal last season: Won against Bath
Comparing The Two Seasons
| Season | Premiership Position | Final Result | Semi-Final Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Second-from-bottom | Did not reach final | N/A |
| 2025 | Third | Lost to Northampton at Twickenham | Won against Bath |
The Road Ahead
Exeter’s path through the early fixtures includes the Gloucester game, followed by four more Premiership matches before the Champions Cup fixture. Baxter has made clear that the team must perform consistently across this block to have any chance of contending for the title.
The coach’s message to his players is direct: the goal is to win the Premiership, and the final loss last season should not be seen as a setback but as a reason to aim higher.
What We Make Of It
Baxter’s approach is bold. He is using his own disappointment as a lever to raise the stakes for his players, rather than letting it settle into routine. The idea that losing a final should make winning the next one the target is a counterintuitive one, but it fits with Baxter’s history of turning adversity into momentum.
The Chiefs have shown they can compete at the highest level. They reached the final last season, beat Bath in the semifinals, and fell to Northampton at Twickenham. Baxter’s players know what they are capable of, and he wants them to know that the standard has been raised.
The question now is whether the team can deliver on the promise. Exeter have a demanding run ahead, and the early games will decide whether they can establish themselves among the top sides.
Baxter’s words are a warning to the rest of the Premiership: his team is coming back for the title, and the final loss last season only makes that pursuit more urgent.
Source material: “Baxter targeting Prem title win with Exeter,” Yahoo Sports.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.