Resurgent Chiefs plot Ulster downfall after escaping 'dark place'

As an Ulsterman who went on to become Exeter Chiefs' all-time leading points scorer during a successful 12-year stint at Sandy Park, Gareth Steenson is well placed to run the rule over Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final.

When the sides met in last year's Investec Champions Cup, Ulster ran a much-changed Chiefs team ragged to win 52-24 in Belfast.

That defeat came in the middle a wretched 2024-25 season for the English side that yielded only four league wins and cost long-serving coaches Rob Hunter and Ali Hepher their jobs after a club record 79-17 loss to Gloucester.

But having emerged from a "dark place", as Steenson put it, a new-look coaching team and high-quality cohort of international signings arrive at Affidea Stadium ready to deny the Irish province a place in their first European final in 14 years.

"They [Exeter] have simplified their game," explains Steenson, who won two Premiership titles and the Champions Cup with the Devon club before retiring in 2020.

"They've worked out what their identity is, they've probably stripped a lot of things back. With the new group coming in, new coaching set-up, they're wanting to implement new things.

"It'll feel fresher with the new voices in the room and they want to imprint what they want to do."

For Steenson, England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - who has scored four tries in as many appearances since returning from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of England's Six Nations campaign - and Italy back row Ross Vintcent have both impressed this term.

But the 42-year-old has also been buoyed by the club's new arrivals. Last summer, Exeter brought in Australia internationals Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper and Italy duo Andrea Zambonin and Stephen Varney, all of whom have helped the club fight for a Prem play-off spot and go deep in the Challenge Cup.

For Steenson, Wales-born scrum-half Varney has been particularly impressive.

"He's been really influential," he said.

"He maybe doesn't get as much recognition but he's been a big aspect to how the game's played.

"He controls the game very well, good kicking game, has a great range of passing but you can definitely see they've gotten different ideas around their attack with Dave Walder coming in."

Varney's consistency in the nine jersey has also helped Harvey Skinner flourish at fly-half, with the 28-year-old signing a new contract after establishing himself as the first-choice 10 a decade on from his debut.

With Jack Murphy and Nathan Doak expected to line out in the half-backs for Ulster, Steenson predicts a fascinating clash of styles.

"Harvey's had to bide his time for a while and finding his feet a little bit.

"Him and Jack Murphy, they're two very different players. Murphy wants to be on the gainline a bit more, he's maybe not as confrontational. Harvey would be a very confrontational, he's an emotional player so he'll be trying to drive the energy around the team.

"Harvey took a wee while to understand what his game was. Exeter traditionally don't kick a lot through 10 - they would use Henry Slade a lot - whereas Ulster will, Jack Murphy will be looking to use his boot a bit more and then you have Nathan Doak for the box kicks."

While Exeter - under hugely experienced director of rugby Rob Baxter - have transformed their fortunes, Richie Murphy's Ulster project has taken shape in recent months.

After a miserable 2024-25 that ended with Ulster finishing third-from-bottom in the United Rugby Championship, they are fighting for domestic and European honours at the business end of the season.

Thanks to attack coach Mark Sexton's impact, Ulster have scored 210 points in their six Challenge Cup games compared to Exeter's 204 (although 28 of the Irish province's total came after their pool fixture against the Cheetahs was cancelled).

"There are lots of boys in there putting their hands up and probably just enjoying the style of rugby they're playing.

"It's infectious. They play with a lot of tempo and speed. It's a 15-man game, which has been very exciting and from a fan's point of view that's what you want to come and watch.

"They're staying true to themselves even whenever it might not feel like the right thing to do."

Ulster have not won a trophy in 20 years while the Chiefs' Champions Cup success came in a behind-closed-doors final, meaning a Bilbao final on 22 May against Montpellier or the Dragons is a huge incentive for both sides.

"The Chiefs haven't won this competition before," said Steenson.

"The way they'll look at it as possibly completing a clean sweep of every competition, which would be an awesome feat.

"From an Ulster point of view, they haven't won for a long, long time. It's the chance to get the supporters buzzing around a European final.

"Who would it mean more to? Would it mean more to the Ulster supporters to get the opportunity to go and do that? Potentially, but I know how fanatical the Chiefs supporters will be."