Baxter backs Slade after missed kicks in 40-34 defeat at Bath
Exeter director Rob Baxter defended Henry Slade after the fly-half missed several kicks in Exeter Chiefs’ 40-34 Premiership defeat by Bath at the Rec, in comments published on 2026-10-03. Baxter urged Slade not to dwell on the errors following the loss.
Slade, who was the Prem's leading points scorer last season, missed two first-half conversions and struck the post with a penalty late in the second half as Bath prevailed in what was described as an 11-try thriller. Harvey Skinner converted a 79th-minute penalty for Exeter to secure a losing bonus point, but the Chiefs remain without a win this season following last week’s surprise home loss to Gloucester.
Speaking as Slade practised kicks after the final whistle, Baxter stressed the fly-half’s past contributions and encouraged him to move on from the game: "I think we've been very fortunate with Henry over the years, but particularly last year," Baxter told BBC Radio Devon as Slade practised kicks after the final whistle. "You think how many like clutch kicks in big games he's knocked over for us and kept us in games, pushed us through things and just taking those real pressure kicks and he's always stood up and done it, you know there's going to be the odd game. "But the most important thing for him is he shakes it off. "I'd rather he wasn't out here practising now and he just goes and sits and has a beer and chills out because I don't think this is the way for him to get out of his system. "But I'll have a chat with him as I walk past now and tell him to get in there and enjoy being with the lads because he's too good a player for this to be an issue."
The defeat was a setback for an Exeter side that reached last season's Premiership final but lost to Northampton at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. Baxter dismissed the notion that the early-season form requires alarm, noting the team must focus on consistent performance rather than single results.
On that point Baxter added: "I just don't think we need to be so worried that we've got to get five points away at that to be competitive at the end of this season," he said. "In a way, I'll be worried that we think we have to get five points second game of the season to be competitive. "What I want us to do is go, 'We play really well every week, we build our points score', that's what gets us where we need to be. "We saw that last year - that's what we've got to do again."
Exeter will continue their search for a first win of the season after the trip to Bath, with Baxter calling for the squad to concentrate on building their points totals each week.
