'Exeter further ahead than everyone expected' - Ben Kay praises Rob Baxter's side after departure of key players

TNT Sports rugby pundit Ben Kay has said that despite losing a golden generation of players, Exeter Chiefs "are further ahead than everyone expected".

Speaking ahead of the Chief’s Gallagher Premiership Rugby clash with Sale Sharks on Sunday, March 31, the former England international commended the Devonians' performance this season so far.

“This back five is really, really exciting,” Kay said when talking about Exeter’s second and back rowers.

“They’re very, very young. Capstick is 24, he’s the oldest, the rest of them are all 21, 22," he added.

The Chiefs, despite often fielding comparatively young and inexperienced squads, have recorded a number of key wins this season, beating the likes of Toulon and Munster in the Investec Champions Cup group stage, and they will face Bath live on TNT Sports in the round of 16 on Saturday, April 6.

Kay praised head coach Rob Baxter for altering Exeter's style of play to better fit their squad this season.

"They’re physical, the likes of Fisilau will carry well. They’re making a lot of metres in contact and probably playing slightly differently as they’ve evolved their game.

"With the big bodies they had, they would carry close to the breakdown. They're just slightly wider out now.

"They're going in one pass further out and they're finding extra metres through the contact."

Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio echoed Kay's thoughts, zeroing in on the Chiefs' statistical improvements this season.

"Their gainline success, whereas in previous years they were attacking very close to the breakdown, there’s a bit more width to their game, maybe a little bit more kicking to the game.

"But the most important stat is tries scored, and when they get themselves into that red zone, they are converting at top-class levels," Dallaglio said.

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