Exeter Chiefs need a lot to go right if they are to make the Gallagher Premiership Rugby play-offs and Rob Baxter admits the key to the run-in will be success on the road.

Chiefs have exceeded expectations this season, and are still in contention for the top four with two games of the season remaining despite losing a host of first-team players over the summer.

The likes of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Ethan Roots and Ross Vintcent have all broken through, earning maiden international caps, with Chiefs currently sitting four points behind Bristol Bears in the final play-off place with two games remaining.

That means that they will have to beat both Harlequins and Leicester Tigers in their final two games to have a chance of making the top four - and a chance to qualify for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final 2024.

Having seen Bears time their run perfectly, Baxter believes it is an ability to perform on the road which separates the good teams from the very best.

He said: “I don't think there has ever been a season I can remember where pretty much everyone can beat everybody. I know Newcastle maybe haven't joined into that equation but outside of that, everybody has beaten everybody.

“Away wins have been particularly difficult to get on a consistent basis. The teams that picked up three/four away wins at any period suddenly shoot up the table, as you see with Bristol. With Bristol putting a consistent run of games together they are flying up the table, they are going to have an exciting end to the season and that's where we want to be. We want to be part of it, it is very, very tight.”

As it stands, Northampton Saints top the table on 55 points and can wrap up a home semi-final with victory at home to Gloucester on Saturday.

Below Saints, anyone from Saracens in second to Chiefs in seventh could conceivably host a play-off game.

The reigning champions head to Bristol Bears knowing victory would put them in a strong position to host a semi-final but Bears have won six league games in a row to move up to fourth.

Bristol’s final day trip to Harlequins could end up being a de facto quarter-final. As it stands, the teams are both on 49 points, with Bristol in fourth spot and Quins fifth.

Just above that pair are Bath. Sat on 50 points, they could have taken a giant step towards qualification by beating Saracens but after going down 15-12, they will now need to bounce back at Kingston Park, where they take on winless Newcastle Falcons.

Chiefs have no margin for error and even with two wins, might not make it, but Baxter believes they have shown enough to build on this campaign for next season even if they do miss out on the play-offs.

He added: “I think the good thing about it, is it shows us as coaches, and it is something we can talk to the team about, is that little bit of consistency that has let us down this year, if we can find some of that, just a little bit more, just a few more per cent of understanding how you can keep pressure on teams, particularly away from home, that bodes well for what we might achieve next year.”

Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final tickets are on-sale now, family packages from £98.