EXETER Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter insists his squad are reaching their peak ahead of their Championship play-off opener at Nottingham on Sunday.

The Chiefs travel to Meadow Lane to play the first of six group stage matches as they fight for a place in next season's Guinness Premiership.

The omens are good for Baxter's side, having lost just three league games throughout the regular season. They have also comfortably beaten Nottingham twice already.

But, with the league table now rendered meaningless, there had been concern that the gruelling campaign would leave Exeter tired and despondent before the play-offs even began.

A dominant 62-12 victory over Birmingham & Solihull on Saturday suggested otherwise though and Baxter is adamant his players are peaking at just the right time.

"The guys are looking keen and enthusiastic — there are some big games coming up and we're raring to go," he said. "We look fresh and we look fit.

"If anything, so far this season we've been struggling to keep the players in check in regards looking too far ahead. Now we don't have to look too far ahead, it's coming up on Sunday and we can prepare fully for it.

"A lot of people have been talking about this season being a long one for us, but we don't look like a group of players who have had a long season. We look like a group of players who have come to the end of an extended pre-season and who are raring to go. I think in that sense we've timed things very well."

Baxter believes the good feeling within the Sandy Park squad has come from enjoying such a successful campaign so far.

He said: "It's been an exciting season. It's been quite nice and fresh for us with new players and new coaching staff so we've been able to attack it from different angles. We're starting to build a season and we don't want it to end."