In a season which brought the high of the Chiefs lifting their first piece of major silverware when they defeated Northampton Saints in the LV= Cup Final, together with the low of a record-breaking home defeat to Sale Sharks, the Welshman believes the Devon club will head into the new campaign with some vital experience under their belts.

"We won a major piece of silverware, which is something you have got to take on board and enjoy, and be proud of, and I think that we can be," said Dollman "‘We can also be proud of our performance in the Premiership. It is a tough league, there were a few performances that didn’t quite go our way, and a couple of close, really tight games that we didn’t come out on top of, but that is something we can learn from.

"I think we had a lot to learn from in the Premiership last year and no doubt we will try and improve on that again this year."

As the Chiefs prepare for their fifth season in English rugby's top flight, Dollman says there is a real air of excitement around the place as Exeter look to prove their worth both domestically and in Europe.

Pre-season training is poised to head into it's fourth week and although Dollman - who is set to embark on his sixth season with the club - knows it's a necessary evil for every professional player, it's the hard work that is put in place now that help to lay the foundations for any season.

The varied approach to the graft, which has included beach sessions, team challenges, gym work and the obligatory rugby skills, means the Chiefs' squad have been able to go about their work with a relative smile on their face.

"We don’t just go through pre-season, we enjoy it," added Dollman, who joined the Chiefs from the Newport-Gwent Dragons. "The strength and conditioning guys keep it fresh and hit us from all angles, so we have got to enjoy it and put in the hard work that needs to go in for a tough season.

"They put some peculiar stuff in front of us, but we try our best to get everything out of every session they give us, and since I have been at the club, the whole squad have really bought into it and got the most out of everything.

"You have really got to build your fitness. It is a long season, especially in the Premiership, and you have got to be on your mettle and ready for that first game of the season."

First up for the Chiefs will be their three pre-season fixtures - all of which are away - to Cardiff Blues (Aug 15), Ulster (Aug 22) and Worcester Warriors (Aug 29) before the Premiership gets underway with a testing trip to newly-promoted London Welsh on September 7.