Exeter vs Saracens

[Puja]

CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE SARACENS

15 Joe Simmonds
14 Santiago Cordero
13 Ian Whitten
12 Sam Hill
11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Yeandle (capt)
3 Tomas Francis
4 Dave Dennis
5 Sam Skinner
6 Sean Lonsdale
7 Don Armand
8 Matt Kvesic

16 Luke Cowan-Dickie
17 Ben Moon
18 Harry Williams
19 Mitch Lees
20 Tom Lawday
21 Nic White
22 Ollie Devoto
23 Phil Dollman


Saracens team to face Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Saturday 22nd December (KO 15H00):

FORWARDS: Mako Vunipola (153), Jamie George (207), Vincent Koch (49), Nick Isiekwe (45), George Kruis (165), Mike Rhodes (83), Calum Clark (26), Ben Earl (27).

BACKS: Alex Goode (274), Alex Lozowski (71),Nick Tompkins (82), Brad Barritt (235), Alex Lewington (14), Owen Farrell (183), Ben Spencer (136).

REPLACEMENTS: Tom Woolstencroft (8), Richard Barrington (149), Christian Judge (8), Dom Day (21), Will Skelton (40), Schalk Burger (62), Tom Whiteley (19), Matt Gallagher (22).

[Mellsblue]

Looking forward to this. Should be a cracker. It’s on terrestrial, too, so might be a good one to draw in some new fans.

[Mikey Brown]

Hard to tell if that is best XV Baxter could put out or not. Looks a bit odd. Simmonds at 15 will be a big test again. No Devoto/Lawday starting seems odd if they are fully fit.

[Peej]

Sarries seem quite happy with picking two backs on the bench now

[Digby]

Barnes has correctly observed courtesy of the playoffs there's basically nowt riding on this game

[Oakboy]

Barnes has correctly observed courtesy of the playoffs there's basically nowt riding on this game

Valid point. I'd scrap the play-offs in a heartbeat. Basically, they are unprofessional in context. I'd have no international/club clashes and no play-offs. That is the only way that the best team wins.

[Mellsblue]

Barnes has correctly observed courtesy of the playoffs there's basically nowt riding on this game

Valid point. I'd scrap the play-offs in a heartbeat. Basically, they are unprofessional in context. I'd have no international/club clashes and no play-offs. That is the only way that the best team wins.

Agreed, much as I hate to side with Barnes. I’ll console myself the fact that he thinks a 10 club Prem and 10 club Champ are financially viable.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Hard to tell if that is best XV Baxter could put out or not. Looks a bit odd. Simmonds at 15 will be a big test again. No Devoto/Lawday starting seems odd if they are fully fit.

Suppose Devoto vs Hill is kind of much of a muchness.....ish. Lawday or Lonsdale. Again, pretty equal.

Simmonds did well at 15, relatively. On paper looks a struggle for Exeter for this one. Missing some big players.

On another note, great to see LCD back. Be so good if he can stay fit for a long, long run.

[Scrumhead]

Barnes has correctly observed courtesy of the playoffs there's basically nowt riding on this game

Valid point. I'd scrap the play-offs in a heartbeat. Basically, they are unprofessional in context. I'd have no international/club clashes and no play-offs. That is the only way that the best team wins.

I totally agree. First past the post is the only fair system. Even if you argue that the play-offs are a trade off for the disruption caused by international call-ups, that doesn’t hold water when a good chunk of the England squad comes from outside of the top 4.

[Digby]

The playoffs are no longer justified by the idea of tests cutting across the calendar so much, and more that TV wants them and it's a big payday filling out HQ.

The question for CVC and PRL is whether the benefits of the playoffs offsets making redundant first vs second in regular season games as we see it this weekend

[fivepointer]

For a game with nothing riding on it the physical commitment from both sides was pretty impressive.
Big win for Exe who made a statement today. That will do their confidence the world of good after a rather scratchy period for them.
LCD excellent, Kvesic, Skinner and Armand first rate. Mako the pick of the Saracens.

[p/d]

Agree 5p.

Also thought Simmonds had another good outing in the fb berth.

[twitchy]

Great win for exe.

[Mikey Brown]

Agree 5p.

Also thought Simmonds had another good outing in the fb berth.

I feel like Steenson is going to keep playing until he is 45 and the rest of their backline will be made up entirely of guys who were meant to take over at fly-half.

[padprop]

Agree 5p.

Also thought Simmonds had another good outing in the fb berth.

I feel like Steenson is going to keep playing until he is 45 and the rest of their backline will be made up entirely of guys who were meant to take over at fly-half.

haha, two first receivers is so 2017, Chiefs are going for 10, 12, 13 and 15.

[Which Tyler]

Agree 5p.

Also thought Simmonds had another good outing in the fb berth.

I feel like Steenson is going to keep playing until he is 45 and the rest of their backline will be made up entirely of guys who were meant to take over at fly-half.

haha, two first receivers is so 2017, Chiefs are going for 10, 12, 13 and 15.

Sarries will still have them beat there, trialling Lozowski on the wing gives them options at 10, 12, 13, 14 & 15

[Digby]

Has Farrell broken up with his girlfriend in the last few months? He's always been feisty but this is getting silly now

[p/d]

Pretty certain it wasn’t Farrell mouthing off regards marching them back 10. It was Tomkins and/or George

The loss of Brad made quite a difference

[Timbo]

Pretty certain it wasn’t Farrell mouthing off regards marching them back 10. It was Tomkins and/or George

The loss of Brad made quite a difference

Yeah, Farrell was called over as he was captain.

Barritt and Rhodes were both significant losses.

[Digby]

Each time it wasn't anything to do with Farrell? (And even that ignoring he was the captain)