Exeter Chiefs - Tackling All The Obstacles In Their Way

Exeter Chiefs have been the Aviva Premiership’s surprise package this season. Many thought that the newly promoted side would end up being the league’s whipping boys but they have proved those doubters wrong.

The west-country side have struck a rich vein of form, winning their last three league matches. The latest of these was an impressive 24-19 win over Sale Sharks at Sandy Park, and it means that they currently sit 7th in the table with 22 points from 9 games.

Sunday’s game away against London Wasps is a great chance to climb even higher up the ladder, with the opposition sitting one place and one point above them.

The Chiefs success has been based on teamwork rather than that of one or two ‘showbiz’ players, and this ethic was on full display this week at the Land Rover Experience Centre near Honiton, Devon.

The players and management took on a series of challenges, which included driving off-road around the centre’s 35 acre course, archery, clay pigeon shooting and even blindfolded driving.

The club's communications manager Mark Stevens said: "Matt Jess was the worst driver by far and managed to get himself completely stuck when they went off road. We got him free. That said, Mark Foster was the biggest maniac driver."

"It was a great day out. The 40 players and staff were split in two and took part in a number of activities.

"There was a quiz in which they had to find out all sorts of information about the vehicles then do some maths which gave them a four-figure code. That released a padlock on a chained up Land Rover which had to be pulled a certain distance. They also took part in archery and clay shooting."

Centre Phil Dollman turned out to be a dead-eye with a bow and arrow while scrum-half Haydn Thomas had "to be dragged away" after becoming addicted to finding the target. Garrick Cowley impressed in the shooting.

Club coach Rob Baxter said: "It's absolutely brilliant to have opportunities like these and make the most of them. All the players have been working hard this season and it's great to see them get away and thoroughly enjoy themselves.

In this video we see players such as Jason Shoemark and Chris Budgen take on the obstacles, and also here from captain Tom Hayes and head coach Rob Baxter about Sunday’s game against London Wasps and the season so far.