RICH Baxter is hoping to help Exeter Chiefs win at Bristol on Sunday and banish one of the worst memories of his career.

The No. 8 is one of only four players in the Chiefs squad left from the 68-15 mauling they took in Bristol in March 2005.

With Bristol securing promotion that season, the clubs have not met competitively since then so Sunday's match carries extra spice.

Baxter said the 70-5 thrashing Exeter suffered at Harlequins later that year was another bad moment of his career.

He thinks the Chiefs were under-prepared, had the wrong game plan and didn't play well enough the last time they met Bristol.

Only Baxter, Sam Blythe, Chris Bentley and Haydn Thomas are still in the playing squad from the team that day, although head coach Rob Baxter and community manager Tony Walker also played.

"It wasn't a good day for us, we didn't perform up there having beaten them at home," Rich Baxter said of the 2005 trip to Bristol.

"We didn't go up there and play well or have the right game plan and Bristol took full advantage.

"We weren't as prepared as we should have been and they'd prepared very well and it showed.

"I've had a few bad days, the Harlequins away game was another bad one.

"It's never pleasing to get beaten well but sometimes it happens and it's how you react to those sort of things that matters."

Baxter said that defeat would have no bearing on Sunday's game as the sides have changed so much over the years.

Bristol were relegated from the Premiership at the end of last term and their players have the advantage of that experience behind them.

"Bristol have come down from the Premiership with everything that goes with it," said Baxter. "They've got all the experience of playing in the Premiership and have been able to keep hold of a few key players.

"It's going to be a massive game for us, one in which we have to perform as well as we can at this stage of the season."

Baxter said Sunday's match means as much to the players as it would have done in previous years despite this season's structure meaning promotion comes down to a one-off game at Twickenham.

"As a player I think it means just as much," he said. "I think I can talk on behalf of all the players when I say they want to go up there and perform well on Sunday.

"If we're performing well and trying to move the team forward that will give us an advantage in the second half of the season.

"If we think we can just cruise along we'll be behind at the end of the season."