Gareth Steenson warns Ulster of huge Exeter ‘motivation’ after the ‘cruellest thing’ on Chiefs’ ‘greatest day’
Exeter Chiefs Jack Nowell reacts after the European Champions Cup Final and an inset of Gareth Steenston (via: www.inpho.ie).
Gareth Steenson has warned Ulster that Exeter Chiefs will be desperate to reach a European final for their supporters to make up for the Champions Cup triumph that the fans were prevented from attending by Covid restrictions.
Armagh-born Steenson will have split loyalties on Saturday when the Chiefs club he kicked to PREM glory in 2017 – and remains record scorer for with 2,531 points – travel to Affidea Stadium to take on his hometown province.
He owns a bar in Exeter, his children were born and raised there and he spent the best 12 years of his rugby life representing the Cream of Devon.
Huge motivation for the Chiefs
So he knows what makes the Sandy Park side tick and how much it hurt the players and staff not having family, friends and supporters around them when they completed the PREM and European double in 2020.
“That will be a huge motivation for those lads,” said Steenson. “The experience of winning the Champions Cup was absolutely huge, particularly given the club’s journey from the lower leagues.
“But the fans were not able to be there at Ashton Gate for the European final against Racing 92 due to the pandemic. They had to stay home and watch from afar the greatest day in the club’s history.”
I can still remember the sound of silence at the home of Bristol City when the final whistle went and the only voices heard came from the players and support staff.
“Not having our families here to share such an achievement was the cruellest thing,” said Director of Rugby Rob Baxter, who admitted to being “a bit all over the place” after sharing an emotional phone call with his wife Jo on the pitch.
Getting back to a major final
There was no open-top bus parade, no public celebration of any sort as then PM Boris Johnson instructed people to “stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives”.
Since then Exeter players have spoken about getting back to a major final to give their supporters the day out they were denied.
They came close to doing so when reaching the semi-finals of the Champions Cup in 2023, but 80 minutes from booking a return to the showpiece, they lost to La Rochelle in Bordeaux.
This then is their next best opportunity, in a country where Chiefs have enjoyed next to no success, save for a Challenge Cup win at Connacht in 2015.
They don’t need to be told how tough an assignment they face. Ulster have home advantage and are on an upwards trajectory. In the recent Six Nations, Ireland boss Andy Farrell included seven of their number in his Triple Crown-winning squad, with Stu McCloskey and Rob Baloucoune particularly impressive.
Factor in that Chiefs shipped 50 points just last year at the ground formerly known as Ravenhill and also that Ethan Roots has been handed a three-game ban for his red card last Sunday at Gloucester, where Exeter lost their second successive league game.
Steenson’s split loyalties
It would be rash to write off their chances but English sides have historically struggled in Northern Ireland with Steenson remembering vividly the day Martin Johnson brought Leicester over just weeks after winning the 2003 World Cup and Tigers were crushed 33-0.
“Rugby is a massive in Northern Ireland,” said the Premier Sports pundit. “It’s the only professional sport, basically. You can travel two to three hours away and people will still be wearing the Ulster jersey.
“It’s been a long time since they won the European Cup (1999) so to have a home semi-final is a huge, huge thing.
“Exeter is home from home for me. My kids were both born there, though their accents are slightly changing now, I have a bar (The Stand Off) and many of my happiest memories there.”
He admits to “split loyalties” on this occasion, which is entirely understandable.
“It’s a big ask for Chiefs but I actually don’t think it’s a bad thing that they lost to Gloucester at the weekend as it will refocus them massively,” he added.
“They’ll probably just look to shore up a couple of wee things around their defensive work. This is the only competition they haven’t won so everyone over here knows they’ll be up for it. The crowd is going to have a massive part to play.”
Unlike in Bristol on that October day in 2020.
Premier Sports is the home of Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland – with every minute of live action from four thrilling semi-finals this weekend plus Finals weekend in Bilbao on May 22/23. Tune into Premier Sports 1 from 5.15pm on Saturday for Ulster v Exeter Chiefs live from the Affidea Stadium in Belfast. Gareth Steenson will be alongside Graham Little, Andrew Trimble, Chris Robshaw, Martin Gillingham and Jamie Lyall. To join in www.premiersports.com from just £11.99 a month @PremSportsTV