Chiefs to harness winning momentum
Flyhalf Ignacio Mieres believes it is vital that Exeter Chiefs use last weekend's home win over Leicester Tigers as the springboard for a crucial month ahead for the Devon club.
The Argentine ace slotted 14 points in his side's 19-11 victory over the East Midlanders last Saturday, a result which helped to propel Rob Baxter's side into fifth place in the Premiership and just a point off the top four.
Now the talented 24-year-old pivot wants a similar outcome when the Chiefs travel to London Wasps for a second time this season. Saturday's contest comes just weeks after Exeter claimed a 30-16 win at Adams Park in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.
Mieres, though, knows this latest match-up between the two clubs will be a much stiffer examination for him and his teammates.
He said: "Before the Leicester game we talked about how these next four games were crucial for us. Obviously it was good that we started off on the right foot against Leicester at the weekend, but these next three matches are big games and very tough ones at that.
"Right now we are really happy with the Leicester result, but we have to make sure we follow it up over these next few weeks. As I said, it won't be easy because we are up against some tough opposition, but we have to look to attack this block of games and see where we are at the end of it all," he explained.
The Chiefs will certainly travel with confidence following their victory over the Tigers, a result which ensured the club of a first-ever league double against the nine-time Premiership champions.
"I was talking with the guys and we said you don't beat Leicester twice a year that many times, so it's something to be very happy about," added Mieres, who is now into his second season with the Chiefs.
"We knew we needed a big performance against them and we did that. Ever since the Perpignan game we've talked about trying to improve and being ambitious and I think we are beginning to see that a little. Of course we still have lots to do in terms of getting better, but as we saw against Leicester everybody did what they needed to do."
In a game where Exeter came back from an initial 8-0 deficit and then later 11-6 down, Mieres says the fighting spirit of the players and also the support of the Sandy Park faithful helped play a key part in the club's latest on-field success.
"In games like that of Leicester, you have to give 100 per cent and nothing less," explained Mieres. "Lots of things you have to do right, especially around the contact area. Leicester we knew would be physical; they've got big ball carriers and big defenders, so we needed everything from everyone.
"Also the crowd were really important for us because always they give us a lot of energy. To see the stadium almost full, especially when it was freezing, it was really good and we were pleased to get the result for them," he said.