Exeter chiefs 2017/18 season thread. Chance to top the premiership.

[Chief Pete]

For me Nowell's best position is definitely as a 13 but what I question is whether Cuthbert (or whoever else would take up the wing spot) is a good enoigh player to justify dropping Hil and moving Slade into 12. Last season was probably Slade's worst ever and it's the season in which he played 12 much more than any other position. On paper he should be a 12 but in practice he's so much better as a 13.

With what's available right now I'd go (if all fit)

9 White
10 Simmonds
11 Woodburn
12 Slade
13 Nowell
14 Short
15 Cordero

Maybe a change of partner would improve Slade's game? I'd at least look at it...

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

With what's available right now I'd go (if all fit)

9 White
10 Simmonds
11 Woodburn
12 Slade
13 Nowell
14 Short
15 Cordero

Maybe a change of partner would improve Slade's game? I'd at least look at it...

I agree that's probably how we'd get our best players onto the pitch but it looks very lightweight which would mean completely changing our attacking structures. Nowell's not a bad carrier by any means but he's no Hill or Whitten.

 

[Chief Pete]

I agree that's probably how we'd get our best players onto the pitch but it looks very lightweight which would mean completely changing our attacking structures. Nowell's not a bad carrier by any means but he's no Hill or Whitten.

I don't think changing our attack is a bad thing, if we play a top team who are on form our attack's been pretty blunt at times anyway, take the final, once Sarries got ahead we had no answer, we were not clever enough IMO, so I'd be happy with a bit of change, and I'm talking the very best teams here Sarries, Leinster etc, which is where we want to be on a regular basis..

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I don't think changing our attack is a bad thing, if we play a top team who are on form our attack's been pretty blunt at times anyway, take the final, once Sarries got ahead we had no answer, we were not clever enough IMO, so I'd be happy with a bit of change, and I'm talking the very best teams here Sarries, Leinster etc, which is where we want to be on a regular basis..

I don't think that there's anything wrong with our attack, it clearly works quite well for us, it's that we don't have the players to carry it out to the highest standard. We lack out and out carriers in the pack (bringing in Attwood and Morgan would rectify this) as well as truly explosive backs beyond Hill. Cuthbert could be the answer to that, if he works off of his wing.

 

[Chief Pete]

I don't think that there's anything wrong with our attack, it clearly works quite well for us, it's that we don't have the players to carry it out to the highest standard. We lack out and out carriers in the pack (bringing in Attwood and Morgan would rectify this) as well as truly explosive backs beyond Hill. Cuthbert could be the answer to that, if he works off of his wing.

I think it does work well most of the time, until you play a top team who's on it and then we've been worked out on those occasions, it only equate's to a couple of games a season ie the Leinster games and the final, fine margins, just my opinion.

Attwood and Morgan would be excellent addition's, are these just rumour's or people's opinion? not seen the links.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think it does work well most of the time, until you play a top team who's on it and then we've been worked out on those occasions, it only equate's to a couple of games a season ie the Leinster games and the final, fine margins, just my opinion.

Attwood and Morgan would be excellent addition's, are these just rumour's or people's opinion? not seen the links.

Morgan was linked a while back but Attwood's just my opinion.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I think it does work well most of the time, until you play a top team who's on it and then we've been worked out on those occasions, it only equate's to a couple of games a season ie the Leinster games and the final, fine margins, just my opinion.

I agree. It reminds me of how England match up against Ireland (and I fear New Zealand, time will tell). Even when England were winning everything, once I'd seen the way Ireland fronted up to New Zealand physically in Chicago, I couldn't see how England could an Irish team playing like that. Thus far they haven't. I felt the same about Exeter versus that Saracens side and upset one or two expressing that opinion in the match day thread.

One thing that's just occurred to me, which is strange given all the talk about England at the moment, the shortcomings highlighted in this thread and the defensive frailty created by defending too narrowly shown in the final, do Exeter need an attack and defence coach?

 

[Chief Pete]

I felt the same about Exeter versus that Saracens side and upset one or two expressing that opinion in the match day thread.

I think that was me lol, you were right though Sarries were great on the day and we simply had no answer, I think the only NH club side who could have coped would be Leinster but I had to have faith in the team and hoped we'd win the arm wrestle upfront and go from there but In my opinion Sarries worked us out very quickly and sadly no plan B to fall back on.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I think that was me lol, you were right though Sarries were great on the day and we simply had no answer, I think the only NH club side who could have coped would be Leinster but I had to have faith in the team and hoped we'd win the arm wrestle upfront and go from there but In my opinion Sarries worked us out very quickly and sadly no plan B to fall back on.

I think I went out after posting, so didn't expand on my point, but would have done so with the Ireland vs England example I mentioned above. It's not so much about how good or bad the sides are, I certainly wasn't meaning Exeter were a bad side, just that they match up badly against the Sarries lineup. I'd have been interested in any opinion even if I didn't agree with it, e.g. "dominate the set piece", despite a few saying Exeter would win, nobody was letting on how they would do it. Sadly, it seems that Baxter didn't know either!

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I think that was me lol, you were right though Sarries were great on the day and we simply had no answer, I think the only NH club side who could have coped would be Leinster but I had to have faith in the team and hoped we'd win the arm wrestle upfront and go from there but In my opinion Sarries worked us out very quickly and sadly no plan B to fall back on.

Like Sarries and Leinster, Chiefs are well coached (with the exception of Plan B) with a good culture.

The difference for me is simply the calibre of their top players. Sarries and Leinster have Lions and the core of their national sides. Chiefs have a few Eng internationals but they're all pretty peripheral. In a few years Eng might be built around Hepburn, Williams, Slade and a couple of Simmonds, but not yet. Whether to try to buy in stardust is a difficult question.

 

[stus768]

Like Sarries and Leinster, Chiefs are well coached (with the exception of Plan B) with a good culture.

The difference for me is simply the calibre of their top players. Sarries and Leinster have Lions and the core of their national sides. Chiefs have a few Eng internationals but they're all pretty peripheral. In a few years Eng might be built around Hepburn, Williams, Slade and a couple of Simmonds, but not yet. Whether to try to buy in stardust is a difficult question.

Is it concerning that Exeter have no representation in th U20s?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Is it concerning that Exeter have no representation in th U20s?

A bit. But then we have a pretty good amount of representation in the U18s so it's not all doom and gloom.

 

[RedruthRFC]

A bit. But then we have a pretty good amount of representation in the U18s so it's not all doom and gloom.

And Marcus Street unavailable for selection due to injury.

I'd say it's only a worry if it's happening year in, year out. By the nature of the way academies work, there's going to be variance in the crop of talent produced. Also using U20 RWC as a measure of success may not be the best idea - it's perfectly conceivable for Premiership quality players to miss out due to a wealth of other talent in their position.

 

[Scotty]

So ive heard nothing more about any transfers in, cordero is staying and cuthberts in. But losing chudley, waldrom, malton, horstmsn ect. i thought there would be more coming in.

Anyone heard any rumours? My hope is that they didnt pay top dollar for cuthbert and they are waiting for the right player to come along while trimming down the squad as it is too big.

I just think we need to sign a experience lock(to teach the young ones we have) and world class 8 its the big signing i think we need.

 

[Scotty]

Weve now lost salvi to become a coach. Back row is still strong but getting less in depth, ewers armand simmonds kvesic, sam skinner(also used as lock) and james freeman(who got pretty much no game time). who else of note? But of proven tallent and experience to take us forward domestic and europe it looks abit bare of world class talent.

Back rowers lost
Waldrom, horstmen, salvi

We have no true no8, need a big signing.