CREDITON-born rugby star Jack Yeandle is keen to make sure Exeter Chiefs don’t get ahead of themselves this year, but after last season’s performances he believes continuity is the key to further success this term.

Chiefs reached the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final last season, where they lost to Saracens at Twickenham and will be aiming to earn a spot in the top four once again this time around.

After losing their first two games of the campaign to Wasps and Sarries, Exeter bounced back by beating Bristol and Harlequins before suffering defeat at the hands of Northampton Saints last weekend, and hooker Yeandle wants them to channel the spirit of last year.

“I think the big thing for us this season is that we don’t have to massively get away from what we did last season because it worked well for us,” said Jack, speaking at the launch of this year’s Aviva Community Fund alongside team-mates Henry Slade and Geoff Parling.

“There are maybe one or two things we may slightly tweak but most of our styles of play, our structure and the ethos we play with were core to our success last year.

“It’s about how players can go about doing their roles and making sure the action in front of them is done to the best of their ability.

“As far as aims go this season, you’ve got to get the first one out of the way, which is the top six.

“If you look too high and don’t achieve it, you’ll leave yourself completely stumped and there will be disheartened players and coaching staff. You’ve got to make it achievable and not look too far in advance.

“You can’t look 10 games down the road if you’re not going to win the match in front of you. So we want to get the top six and then we always can look up once that is secure and safe.”

The Aviva Community Fund is a nationwide initiative that lends a helping hand to local communities by offering support and funding for local clubs, causes and projects.?It has already benefited more than 320,000 people, through 431 winning projects across the UK, and this year, local grassroots sports clubs can apply or reapply for funding in a new, sport-specific category.?And Yeandle admits that grassroots rugby will always hold a special place in his heart.

“From my own personal experience in rugby, I wasn’t one of those players that came through the academy route – I played rugby at my local club, Crediton RFC, and stayed there to play Colts,” he added.

“I didn’t fully get into an academy, I was in there for a little bit so I slightly came through it but ultimately I got most of my rugby playing at my local club.

“Our club attracted people not just from Crediton but from further afield as well. It brought players together.

“All the lads we had in the team, you wouldn’t have put us together naturally but playing together and training together we got on well, went on tours together and had great memories.

“Some of our games were in horrendous conditions and some of the training sessions were on pitches with no grass – just a complete mud bath – but they were the most enjoyable days.”

Exeter have built on last season’s success by adding the likes of Ollie Devoto, Greg Holmes and Dave Dennis over the summer and Yeandle believes they will only improve the squad.

“All the guys who have come in have played high level rugby and international rugby, so their qualities are only going to add to the strength in depth we’ve got here,” he said.

“Ollie was fortunate enough to come away with us on our training camp early doors so he got to see what the culture is about.

“Dave and Greg have come in from a different setting of rugby Down Under and their games and characters are starting to come through as well.

“They’ve definitely been great additions and will only add to the group we already had.”

Premiership Rugby and the 12 Aviva Premiership Rugby Clubs are supporting the Aviva Community Fund, a nationwide initiative which offers funding of up to £25,000 to grassroots sports clubs and other community organisations close to your heart. Enter at: aviva.co.uk/community-fund .

Luke Baker

Sportsbeat