Exeter Rugby Rises From Worst Season to Final in One Year

Exeter Chiefs pulled off one of rugby's most dramatic turnarounds, clawing back from a 26-10 deficit to win 27-26 at Bath and secure their first championship final appearance in five years.

Just 12 months ago, this seemed impossible. The Chiefs finished ninth in the Premiership, won only four games all season, and suffered a humiliating 79-17 loss at Gloucester. It was the worst campaign in club history for a team that had reached six straight finals and won a European championship in 2020.

Coach Rob Baxter watched his squad transform through a brutal offseason. The same players who lost by 62 points last spring now became the first third-place team ever to reach a Premiership final. They also became the first squad since 2021 to win an away semifinal.

"It's the same players, but it's different men, and that makes me incredibly proud," Baxter told BBC Sport after the dramatic comeback victory.

The transformation took hard work and mental toughness. Most of the current roster lived through last season's disasters. Now they're preparing to face table-topping Northampton at Twickenham Stadium, looking for the club's third championship title.

Why This Inspires

Exeter's comeback shows what happens when people refuse to give up after failure. The Chiefs didn't rebuild with new talent or make sweeping changes. They chose the harder path: helping the same players rediscover their potential and rebuild their confidence from scratch.

Baxter, who took charge in 2009 and led the team from lower divisions to championships, says recent wins over Leicester, Saracens, and now Bath twice prove his squad belongs in the final. His message to the team captures the delicate balance of success: celebrate this moment, but don't rush past it or dwell too long.

The Chiefs face a tough challenge in Northampton, who haven't lost to Exeter this season. The teams drew 33-33 in the opener before Saints won 35-28 in March on a last-second try. But Baxter believes his transformed squad has the emotional readiness to compete.

"Knowing some of these lads, they've got the confidence and belief to think they can do anything," he said. "If they can roll up like that again, it's going to be a hell of a day."