\n<\/p>\n
Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter says his side’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Benetton in northern Italy will come too soon for the return of key players Len Ikitau and Ethan Roots.<\/b><\/p>\n
Chiefs withstood a second-half fightback from Munster to hold on for a 31-21 victory<\/a> at a blustery Sandy Park in Baxter’s first game since it was announced he had agreed a new “multi-year” deal<\/a> to continue his 17-year reign. <\/p>\n The win has set up a tie against Italian club Benetton, who won all four matches in the pool stage and edged out Cardiff<\/a> in an 11-try thriller in the round of 16.<\/p>\n Wingers Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Paul Brown-Bampoe shone in Saturday’s victory against Munster and they will be on the plane for Sunday’s crunch clash.<\/p>\n But Australia international centre Ikitau, 27, who suffered a shoulder injury in December<\/a>, and England back row Roots, 28, who has been ruled out since a calf tear last month<\/a>, remain unavailable for selection.<\/p>\n “We came through the weekend with a clean bill of health,” Baxter told BBC Radio Devon.<\/p>\n “Obviously, a few bumps and bruises. We made an awful lot of tackles. We made double the tackles of Munster, which was a fantastic defensive effort in the second half, which ultimately won us the game.<\/p>\n “Len is getting closer by the day. He’s running around, he’s doing quite a bit. <\/p>\n “He was doing a little bit of contact on bags yesterday, which is always a good sign, and he’s kind of in the mix of being a week or so away.<\/p>\n “Ethan Roots is very close. He’s pretty much in full training. We’re getting close to starting to pad the squad out a bit – that in itself probably allows us that little bit more rotation than we’re available to at the moment. We’re getting there.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n