• Former Cardiff Blues wing makes fine home debut• James recalls his Wales days with two triesTom James may not be the biggest name to desert Welsh rugby but the 26-year-old former Cardiff Blue is already dropping hints that he could be one of the better bargains. After heading across the Severn Bridge this summer, the former Wales wing threw off an iffy opening performance against Northampton to give his new employers a taste of what they paid for.Two tries against the former Heineken champions – and possibly the last English club to lift the trophy – went a long way towards settling Exeter’s nerves after suffering that five-try defeat on the opening day of the season, while suggesting that their director of rugby, Rob Baxter, continues to do well in the transfer market.James arrived at Exeter a stone overweight following injury and, as Baxter suggested on Saturday, he was far from a certain starter this season. However, after 10 Tests for Wales, the last one against England three seasons ago, James clearly still had a taste for international rugby despite some ill-timed remarks about Warren Gatland’s team selection policy. “He wanted to try something fresh,” said Baxter. “He’d dropped out of the Welsh reckoning and how do you get back in there? Well, you score tries in the Premiership and you possibly start to reignite your international career.”He needed a new challenge,” said the Exeter director of rugby who makes a habit of crossing the Bristol Channel to pick up bargains. “He had some great times at Cardiff but he’s got an opportunity now. He’s playing and to be fair to him he’s demanded the position. He wasn’t an automatic start but came on in the pre-season against Glasgow and has demanded his place.”Baxter’s decision to play the wing paid off after 15 minutes of his Sandy Park debut, James ignoring a huge overlap on the right and skittling what was left of the Wasps cover. James’ second try came 45 minutes later when he broke through weak tackles to sprint in from 45 metres watched by Dai Young, his coach during four of those six seasons at the Blues but now director of rugby at Wasps. “Put him in space and he finishes you off,” said Young ruefully. “It’s a pity he didn’t save it for next week [away at London Irish].”However, Baxter reckons there is more to come from the man from Rhymney. “There is a danger of underestimating Tom. He’s a thinking rugby player. The more Tom settles in, the more he will do. We’ve only scratched the surface with him so far,” said Baxter before reflecting on the increasing firepower in the Exeter backline: “We still have some of the best line breakers – the guys who statistically beat the most players – to come back in.”He also has a trio of England Under-20 World Cup winners to introduce, two of whom, centre Sam Hill and replacement fly-half Henry Slade, played their part in Saturday’s victory. Riches of which Young can only dream as the Wasps sick list continues to grow.Last week the wing Tom Varndell joined Elliot Daly, James Haskell, Hugo Southwell, Phil Swainson and James Bailey, among the injured and Young admitted that his team is hurting. “We struggled to get any real penetration, we tended to be quite lateral in our attack, we struggled to break them down and when they had opportunities they took them,” said Young.However, late tries from the wing Christian Wade and flanker Ashley Johnson did at least give them a bonus point for the long trip home.Exeter Dollman; Whitten, Shoemark, Hill (Jess 64) James; Steenson (Slade 69), Thomas (Lewis 62); Sturgess (Moon 59), Yeandle (Whitehead 62), Tui (Mitchell 66), Mumm (capt), Welch, T Johnson, Scaysbrook (White 65), Ewers. Tries James 2, Scaysbrook Cons Steenson 3 Pens Steenson 3Wasps Masi (T Bell 76); Wade, C Bell (capt), Hayter (Jacobs 64), Bassett; Goode, Simpson (Davies 52); Mullan (McIntyre 66) Lindsay (Cochrane 56), Cooper-Woolley (Taylor 66), Launchbury, Palmer (Cannon 67), A Johnson, Jones, Jackson (Taylor 66) Tries Wade, A Johnson Cons Goode 2 Pens Goode 4 Sin-bin Ashley Johnson 34Ref Martin Fox (RFU) Att 7,033Premiership 2013-14ExeterWaspsPremiershipRugby unionMike Averistheguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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