Baxter takes the Aviva Premiership outfit to Llanelli for the first friendly of the summer as both the Chiefs and the Scarlets look to begin their pre-season campaign with a bang.
The two sides met twice last term in the Heineken Cup, with the Englishmen edging both encounters, and Baxter says he’s anticipating another exciting, evenly-matched and free-flowing affair later today.
“The Scarlets have always beaten us in pre-season and they’re always a tough cookie for us. We had them in the Heineken Cup last year and did very well against them, but they were struck by injuries at the time,” said Baxter.
“We always enjoy our fixtures against them, we both play a style of rugby that supporters appreciate so the games are always good, high-tempo games and that’s what you want in pre-season.
“I’ve always been relatively relaxed about results in pre-season. For us, it’s more about how we play and about having a look at the new players and combinations.
“The Scarlets have been very accommodating and it looks as though the game will be broken into four quarters. We’ll look to use the majority of our senior squad over the course of the 80 minutes, as I assume the Scarlets will as well.
“It’s a chance to get everyone up and running, for the players to get game time and for us to get some analysis of some of the things we’ve being working on in pre-season. The players are really looking forward to it and it will give us some real meat on the bone as to what we want to work on over the next few weeks.”
Baxter has named a near full-strength starting line up for today’s 3pm kick off at the Parc y Scarlets, with Australian international Dean Mumm skippering the side from the second row.
Fellow lock Damien Welch returns to the region he served for two seasons but it is the presence of Wales caps Tom James and Ceri Sweeney that are likely to generate most interest.
Wing James and fly-half Sweeney moved to Devon from the Blues this summer and both are keen to make a positive early impression with their new team-mates. James gets the chance to re-ignite his international ambitions with a starting place, while Sweeney will be used as a replacement.
“Tom and Ceri will both feature. The newer guys have got a little bit more of a battle because we know what the other lads can do and they’re in control of the shirt. But you normally find that one or two of the new guys stake a claim from the first moment they’re on the pitch,” added Baxter.
“Tom’s really desperate to get in the shirt and make an impression. He had a strange foot/toe injury at the end of last season but he’s up and running now.
“He’s training exceptionally well and I know the conditioners are very impressed with him and his work ethic in the gym. I know Ali (backs coach Ali Hepher) has been pleased with the effort he’s put in and the skills he’s shown and the way he’s always prepared to work on his skill development.
“He’s one of those guys who’s fitted right in. Some of the testing scores between him and (fellow wing) Matt Jess, with the way they’re going out to see who lift the most and run can run the fastest, are quite incredible. And that’s what you need, you need people driving each other on.”
Exeter Chiefs (v Scarlets, Parc y Scarlets, Saturday, 3pm)
15 Luke Arscott
14 Tom James
13 Ian Whitten
12 Jason Shoemark
11 Matt Jess
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Haydn Thomas
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Carl Rimmer
4 Dean Mumm (capt)
5 Damian Welch
6 Dave Ewers
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Kai Horstmann
Replacements from: Ben Moon, Chris Whitehead, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Craig Mitchell, Alex Brown, Tom Hayes, Will Carrick-Smith, Ben White, Tom Johnson, Sam Blanchet, Joel Conlon, James Phillips, Stu Townsend, Will Chudley, Henry Slade, Ceri Sweeney, Sam Hill, Fetu’u Vainikolo, Phil Dollman, Jack Nowell
