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Robson: Wasps fired up for Exeter Chiefs semi-final

Dan Robson said Wasps will be fuelled by the a European Champions Cup defeat to Wasps when they face Exeter Chiefs in the semi-finals of the Premiership

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Dan Robson said Wasps will be fuelled by the heartbreak of their European Champions Cup defeat to Saracens when they face Exeter Chiefs in Saturday's Premiership semi-final at fortress Sandy Park.

Wasps were beaten 24-17 by eventual champions Saracens in the last four of Europe's premier club competition at the Madejski Stadium last month.

Dai Young's entertaining side can make amends for that defeat by beating Exeter in their own backyard to set up a final against defending champions Sarries or Leicester Tigers at Twickenham a week on Saturday.

Exeter have lost just once at home since January 2015 and got the better of Wasps twice in the Premiership this season, but the Coventry-based club consigned them to defeat in the quarter-final of the Champions Cup last month.

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Wasps scrum-half Robson believes the loss to Sarries will drive the six-time English champions on when they take to the field in Devon this weekend.

The England Saxons playmaker told Omnisport: "It was hugely disappointing losing that game and I think, taking positives out of it, it was a good learning curve for us and it was something we can grow from by taking the experience from that semi-final defeat and only get better.

"Hopefully we can do that and get a good result this weekend."

Robson is under no illusions as to the scale of the task that Wasps face, but insists they have no plans to change their attractive style of play against Rob Baxter's side.

He added: "You have to give credit to them and their set-up there. It's an impressive place and they work hard for each other, especially at home.

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"We know the magnitude of the test we've got on Saturday and their home record, but for us you've got to beat these teams if you want to win trophies. We said that before the semi in Europe, we came up short in that, but we've got another chance on Saturday to hopefully get to a final.

"We don't want to go into this game in the last part of the season and go away from what we've been about and what we've done for the majority of the season, which is throw the ball around and express ourselves.

"The most disappointing thing would probably be if we were not able to play that brand of rugby."

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