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Premiership Rugby 19/20 - Rd 15

Not convinced Exeter have any real competition now, them claiming the ***le seems almost inevitable, pretty much in a league of their own if you take Sarries out of the equation, then probably Sale best of the rest, probably on a good day somewhere between but currently finding their feet post lockdown.
 
If Bristol get their backline firing on all cylinders then I could see them being challengers in a Baabaas style throw-all-caution-to-the-wind try fest, but it does feel like Exeters to lose (and has all season really)
 
TRF_Olyy said:
If Bristol get their backline firing on all cylinders then I could see them being challengers in a Baabaas style throw-all-caution-to-the-wind try fest, but it does feel like Exeters to lose (and has all season really)
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Indeed I thought the new breakdown interpretation would effect Exe massively given I've always felt they are constantly diving in off their feet and getting away with it but it doesn't seem to have. I could see a couple of contenders able to run Exeter close on their day Wasps, Sale, Bristol, Gloucester, saints (when they were tearing it up) however on form and recent final/semi final experience you probably wouldn't bet against them. If Manu can stay fit and Gel with the team he is a legitimate game changer in a tight affair.
 
Manu is a game changer.
BUT the biggest issue at club level is can he do it enough of the time since his injuries?
International rugby when you have 5 or so games a burst is one thing.

It's a tough one, personally feel Sale might have been better looking at front row.
 
I can't disagree, It certainly was a gamble, given his injury record only time Will tell.
On another note Bristol Bears must be running the salary cap pretty close.
 
Anyone can beat Exeter on their day.
It's just... What are the chances of that day happening in a final?
 
Jimbo said:
Indeed I thought the new breakdown interpretation would effect Exe massively given I've always felt they are constantly diving in off their feet and getting away with it but it doesn't seem to have. I could see a couple of contenders able to run Exeter close on their day Wasps, Sale, Bristol, Gloucester, saints (when they were tearing it up) however on form and recent final/semi final experience you probably wouldn't bet against them. If Manu can stay fit and Gel with the team he is a legitimate game changer in a tight affair.
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100%. I thought exactly the same, although in hindsight, I'm actually not that surprised that they've adapted well. Baxter has them very well drilled when it comes to stretching the laws to the limit and getting away with it.

Process seems like a huge part of what they do at Exeter.

You can see it in the way they recruit as well - the sign players to fit a tried and tested system and the likes of Gray, Kirsten and Vermeulen have slotted straight in.

Sale are absolutely on the rise and are getting better and better as a team. Their defence is the best in the league and they have excellent options in attack. However, they're hampered by a weak set piece - a hooker that's great in the loose but unreliable at lineout time and a scrum that's coughing up penalties. Beaumont will be a big addition when he's fit as well as Wiese arriving (eventually).

I think their biggest challenge this season is the size of their squad. The welfare rules will force them to rotate more than their squad really allows. With their first choice XV having started and lost their first two games after the restart, they're going in to a big game with Wasps where they'll have to play a second string side. Not ideal.
 
BPM said:
100%. I thought exactly the same, although in hindsight, I'm actually not that surprised that they've adapted well. Baxter has them very well drilled when it comes to stretching the laws to the limit and getting away with it.

Process seems like a huge part of what they do at Exeter.

You can see it in the way they recruit as well - the sign players to fit a tried and tested system and the likes of Gray, Kirsten and Vermeulen have slotted straight in.

Sale are absolutely on the rise and are getting better and better as a team. Their defence is the best in the league and they have excellent options in attack. However, they're hampered by a weak set piece - a hooker that's great in the loose but unreliable at lineout time and a scrum that's coughing up penalties. Beaumont will be a big addition when he's fit as well as Wiese arriving (eventually).

I think their biggest challenge this season is the size of their squad. The welfare rules will force them to rotate more than their squad really allows. With their first choice XV having started and lost their first two games after the restart, they're going in to a big game with Wasps where they'll have to play a second string side. Not ideal.
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Agree with all that, I don't know what it is about Exeter's recruitment process but Baxter really has a habit of getting the most out of players which have either been out of form or not reached their potential elsewhere in most cases, dare I say it even Cuthbert looks ok Recently.

Sale vs Wasps will be interesting, don't want to be too confident in Wasps but judging from yesterday's selection it is a game that has been targeted to go full strength.
 
We literally don't have enough players to put out a full second string side, lol

With Beaumont still out and Wiese not arrived we only have 4 locks and 1 8 in our squad - we also only have two tightheads

Predicting something like
Harrison, Langdon, Cooper-Woolley
Postlethwaite, Philips
Neild, B. Curry, ???
Cliff, AJ
Reed, Hill, Rohan, Solomona,
L.James

Ashman, Morozov, ???, ???, ???, Warr, Wilkinson, Carpenter/Doherty/Roebuck

Question marks will probably be DdP starting, WGJ, Lood....Ross? bench,
DdP, WGJ and Lood have all been subbed in the 50-60min range the last two weeks so are theoretically freshest - Ross just there because...there's literally no one else
 
I think there are going to have to be some academy players drafted in or something because I can't see how you can get a 23 out and stay within the welfare regulations?
 
I know it's leading to a lot of penalties at the moment but I like the way the breakdown is going now. People charging in like rockets has always been dangerous and latching on without grabbing the ball always seems silly.

Having said that the Irish Vs saints game is pretty poor
 
Last edited:
TRF_Olyy said:
We literally don't have enough players to put out a full second string side, lol

With Beaumont still out and Wiese not arrived we only have 4 locks and 1 8 in our squad - we also only have two tightheads

Predicting something like
Harrison, Langdon, Cooper-Woolley
Postlethwaite, Philips
Neild, B. Curry, ???
Cliff, AJ
Reed, Hill, Rohan, Solomona,
L.James

Ashman, Morozov, ???, ???, ???, Warr, Wilkinson, Carpenter/Doherty/Roebuck

Question marks will probably be DdP starting, WGJ, Lood....Ross? bench,
DdP, WGJ and Lood have all been subbed in the 50-60min range the last two weeks so are theoretically freshest - Ross just there because...there's literally no one else
Click to expand...

Yes will be interesting to see what you can have available with welfare regulation in place... I think Wasps are targeting 5 points due to the weakened side we put out
 
Redpath looks like he's been eating clen and trenning hard over lockdown, jeeze
His issue was always he played like he was bigger/stronger than he was, always needed the extra bulk - interested to see how he goes now
 
Be really embarrassing to lose to Leicester today, as far as I can tell they've basically sent out Leicester Grammar School 2nd XV
 
That is literally the first time I've ever seen a maul formed in open play be reffed the same as from a lineout
Love it!
 

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