Mature Exeter Chiefs are reinventing themselves after 'game moved on' from their signature style, says TNT Sports expert Ben Kay

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Exeter Chiefs secured a 26-14 win over Sale Sharks that sees them move back into the top four of the Gallagher PREM as the club bounced back from a heavy defeat in the PREM Rugby Cup a weekend ago against Leicester Tigers. That fixture aside, the Chiefs have steadily risen and improved themselves, with TNT Sports' Ben Kay praising Rob Baxter's side for how they climbed out of a low point.

Highlights: Chiefs jump back into PREM top four with gritty defeat of Sharks

Video credit: TNT Sports

Ben Kay praised Exeter Chiefs for reinventing themselves after explaining how the game moved on from the style of play that found them so much success in the previous decade.

The Chiefs prevailed over Sale Sharks in a 26-14 win at Sandy Park to climb back into the top four of the Gallagher PREM.

Rob Baxter's side have already bettered their entire points tally of 29 from last season and have 39 so far in this campaign as they seek to finish in the top four.

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It would be a first play-off appearance since 2021 as they hope to recapture the success of the previous generation of players at Exeter.

Exeter were PREM finalists six consecutive times from 2015 to 2021, with an incredible year in 2020 seeing them hoist both the league and European Cup.

"That felt really comfortable all the way through," Kay said about their defeat of Sale.

Ridl scores Chiefs second try with 'lovely feet' en route to Sharks line

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"I just felt with Exeter, you compare how things were going at their low point sort of 18 months ago, and they look so much more calmer and comfortable. Maybe that's experience, some of those players have matured."

Their PREM-winning sides were filled with immensely talented names and losing the likes of Jack Nowell, Joe and Sam Simmonds, plus forwards Jonny Hill and Luke Cowan-Dickie, set them back several years.

Baxter has prioritised a new youth movement, handing ample opportunities to academy talent and young players such as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Ross Vintcent and giving 23-year-old Welshman Dafydd Jenkins the captaincy.

"The game's moved on from the style that won them all those trophies," Kay said. "They had to go through that team that became champions of Europe, and they lost a lot of them.

"They had to recreate it from scratch, and you start to see a team that's building nicely. You add a few more big hitters into the mix and they could be going up in the right direction."

One of those new faces who put in a bright performance against Sale is winger Paul Brown-Bampoe, whose scything try late in the game sealed an important win for Exeter.

The 23-year-old spoke about the "level of belief" that's been instilled in the squad - a prime example of the hard work Baxter has done with this group over the past 18 months.

"Got to give credit to the boys that stepped into this squad from the Six Nations," Brown-Bampoe said.

"They set the standard high for us in the training week. It was only a matter of time that we put that performance in with the quality of players we had and how hard we worked."

'Another brilliant set-piece try!' - Brown-Bampoe finishes excellent line for significant try

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He continued: "It's been a weird second season with injuries and some head knocks, but to get a few games together it means a lot to me and my family who are here watching.

"I think we've got some wrongs to right. Newcastle away, last year that was a game we lost. We're gonna focus on that. It's a short turnaround so we have to make sure we turn up raring to go and right some wrongs, and get the wins we know we're capable of.

"There's a level of belief in this club. That was one of the hardest pre-seasons in my life. We work so hard and we're so fit, and it shows. I just felt like we looked fitter than Sale and we were able to keep going."

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