Davis: leaving Bath was my best decision
Exeter's Ryan Davis says leaving Bath is the best decision that he has ever made during his rugby career.
Davis signed for Exeter from The Rec this summer to become one of the most high profile players in the new look Exeter squad. He says the pressure was huge at Bath and the player opportunities did not come along as often as he'd like.
Davis also spent a large part of his career at Bath on the treatment table as he suffered a variety of injuries that stopped him from playing. He says this was very frustrating and he jumped at the chance of making a new start at Exeter.
There were a lot of positives for Davis joining Exeter. However, many have tipped Bath to win the title this season and this is something he would miss out on.
Positives of joining Exeter
The main positive and reason behind the player joining Exeter is that he is now a big fish in a small pond as opposed to vice versa. At Bath Davis was used as a versatile cover player but at newly-promoted Exeter he has the chance to command the back-row.
A new club represents a new chance and a new challenge. This is very important to this player because it's clear that Davis always had a lot on his mind when he was at Bath. He would have heard rumours about some of the players due to join over the summer, which would have made him doubt his own squad position.
He's also been handed the chance to kick for Exeter, which will give him many chances to get on the score sheet and to increase his own confidence. This is not always a role he was allowed to do at Bath and it's important for his mental revitalisation.
Davis said: "I spent six good years at Bath, but coming to Exeter is like having a massive weight lifted off my shoulders. Already I can see everyone at Exeter is trying to strive for something better. The work ethic of everyone is right up there and it starts in the gym and it finishes up on the pitch. It was a good start for me and I’m chuffed for the boys as well."
Missing the glory
Having moved from Bath there is a very good chance that Davis will miss out on a lot of success at his former club. Bath is widely tipped as one of the strongest teams in England this year and the pressure will be on everyone at The Rec to convert this into success.
However, Davis has said that he will be happy if he can just play a lot of games at Exeter and be happy as he plays. A good mental strength is vital for the majority of rugby players and Davis says this is a small price to pay.
He added: "After the win the first-team had at the weekend [against Gloucester], I said to the boys beforehand that we had to replicate, if not better, what the first team boys put in. It was a bit scrappy at times, but it was good to see the boys pumped up in the changing rooms and then go out and play like they did."
Betting advice
Don't hesitate at all to back Davis to score the most points for Exeter this season. He is a key player at the club and as kicker he will have many more chances to score than others. You won't get the best odds on him for highest points scorer but it would be a fitting little award for a very determined and respectable player.
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