Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter sympathized with opponents Harlequins after their side secured a 58-26 home win to book their place in the Premiership play-offs.
Harlequins played the crucial Premiership game just six days after losing 38-26 to Toulouse in the Champions Cup semi-final in France.
It was not an unknown scenario for Baxter and his accusers. They were in a similar position when they lost at home to Bath in the Premiership, six days after their heavy defeat against Les Rouges et Noirs in the Champions Cup quarter-finals.
Understanding the Harlequin situation
And Baxter lamented the fixture schedule, saying he fully understood what Harlequins were facing.
“I spoke to a few of their coaches afterwards and they said no one understands more than me how difficult it is to come back from Toulouse on a Sunday and play on a Saturday,” he said at Sandy Park. spoke after the team's victory.
“The Premiership calendar doesn't help England teams in Europe. If we had reached the semi-finals, we would have played Gloucester on Sunday before playing Toulouse on Saturday.
“What we're doing is just crazy, but we struggled against Bath and we took advantage of that today.”
Despite trailing 21-14 late in the first half, the Chiefs mounted a spectacular comeback, scoring 44 unanswered points before Lewis Reiner's late bonus point try and moving ahead of the Quins in the standings. He moved up to 5th place in the table.
Exeter's young full-back Dan John started his team's onslaught with a try on the final play of the first half, something Baxter felt was important.
“The score we got just before half-time was very important, but I said it won't count in the first half if Harlequins want to benefit at all from the level of fatigue they have to return from Toulouse on Sunday. But secondly, he added.
Exeter Chiefs defeated Harlequins as Immanuel Fay-Waboso scored twice to keep their Premiership play-off dreams alive.
“(However), that only happens if you push hard after the break, and we did that. I think that was the key fundamental of this game.”
Exeter are two points behind fourth-placed Sale and level with Harlequins on 50 points, but seventh-placed Bristol Bears are just one point behind.
Chiefs face Leicester on the final day of the season, while Quins host Bristol.
“It's going to be a lot more exciting this week, but we can't expect our excitement and enthusiasm to win games,” Baxter said.
“Leicester are a good team and have a lot of pride, and we have to get a lot of things right between now and then, get through some injuries and go there with the right mindset. We have to. We have to take every opportunity.'' Let's see if we can make the playoffs. ”
Meanwhile, Quins head coach Danny Wilson was disappointed with his team's performance after half-time, but was pleased with the potentially important late rally.
“Having just one half of rugby doesn't make you a bad team, just like having a really good half of rugby doesn't make you a team that wins championships, we look at half of rugby and don't make a bad team. “That's why,” he said.
“The second half is unacceptable.”
“I thought we were in a position to be in the game in the first half, but the second half was really unacceptable. It hasn't been our standard this season.
“What I was happy about was getting the fourth try (from Raina) at the very end. In the first half we were really struggling and we were falling apart a little bit, but we still showed that character to fight for that last try. It may be important to show
“After a season of really hard work, it gives us a chance and a chance.”
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