Wasps vs Exeter Sat 3pm

[Raggs]

If Wasps win this, I'll be pretty chuffed.

[Peej]

Yikes. This could either be a glorious Wasps victory or an instant delete from the highlights

[jngf]

How about Sam Simmonds and Capstick consider a positional swap? Seriously if Exeter structure their pack/play around the way Simmonds plays rather than around him being a specialist no.8 then would not moving him to 7 alter comparatively little but quadruple his chances of making an Eddie Jones starting XV again?

[Beasties]

Yikes. This could either be a glorious Wasps victory or an instant delete from the highlights

Yikes indeed. I'm wondering why we've gone for L Hamilton at FB again over Crossdale. That Exeter team looks strong.

[FKAS]

Considering how well Crossdale did on his debut it is weird to see him on the bench, maybe he's not 100% fit.

Chiefs have rotated three to the bench who I presumed would start but even so that's a strong team. If Wasps can just hold them at bay, play smart and bide their time chances will come and they've got the kind of firecracker players to make those chances come. They will need to be patient and disciplined though. Chiefs get a couple of early scores and it could get messy for Wasps.

[Peej]

Considering how well Crossdale did on his debut it is weird to see him on the bench, maybe he's not 100% fit.

Chiefs have rotated three to the bench who I presumed would start but even so that's a strong team. If Wasps can just hold them at bay, play smart and bide their time chances will come and they've got the kind of firecracker players to make those chances come. They will need to be patient and disciplined though. Chiefs get a couple of early scores and it could get messy for Wasps.

He was really poor at Newcastle the following week, though.

[Puja]

Considering how well Crossdale did on his debut it is weird to see him on the bench, maybe he's not 100% fit.

Chiefs have rotated three to the bench who I presumed would start but even so that's a strong team. If Wasps can just hold them at bay, play smart and bide their time chances will come and they've got the kind of firecracker players to make those chances come. They will need to be patient and disciplined though. Chiefs get a couple of early scores and it could get messy for Wasps.

He was really poor at Newcastle the following week, though.

I was just going to note that. I also don't know he was that great on his debut - sure, he scored two tries which looked very pretty, but they weren't particularly complicated finishes. I think he's perhaps been a tad overhyped based on that first game.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

How about Sam Simmonds and Capstick consider a positional swap? Seriously if Exeter structure their pack/play around the way Simmonds plays rather than around him being a specialist no.8 then would not moving him to 7 alter comparatively little but quadruple his chances of making an Eddie Jones starting XV again?

Give it up. It’s not happening. He’s never played there and why would Baxter want to disrupt what is currently working in order for his star man to disappear for large chunks of the season?

[FKAS]

Considering how well Crossdale did on his debut it is weird to see him on the bench, maybe he's not 100% fit.

Chiefs have rotated three to the bench who I presumed would start but even so that's a strong team. If Wasps can just hold them at bay, play smart and bide their time chances will come and they've got the kind of firecracker players to make those chances come. They will need to be patient and disciplined though. Chiefs get a couple of early scores and it could get messy for Wasps.

He was really poor at Newcastle the following week, though.

I was just going to note that. I also don't know he was that great on his debut - sure, he scored two tries which looked very pretty, but they weren't particularly complicated finishes. I think he's perhaps been a tad overhyped based on that first game.

Puja

Ah ok I didn't really see much of the game Vs Newcastle. A try scoring debut on the Tele can do wonders for your reputation.

[Raggs]

Lol praising Fifita there, but that pass selection from Umaga was spot on.

[Puja]

Hill's just lost the ball for the third time when he's had a decent chance at a try. Utter cloghands in front of Cockerill in the crowd.

Puja

[padprop]

Yes, Hill very much having a game to forget. Handful of penalties as well.

They may still go onto win this, but Exeter’s style of play really seems to be struggling with the new rules. Theyre going for similar pick and gos but are now much more isolated.

[padprop]

Nowell clearly tackled there it looked like to me.

[Raggs]

Nowell clearly tackled there it looked like to me.

He was, but he released the ball, got back up, and picked it up again. Which is fair game.

[fivepointer]

Thought Nowell looked a bit off his game. Hill's handling was comical until he finally managed to catch one. LCD's injury might be a worry for England. Simmonds has gone ahead of the other contenders for the No 8 shirt. The other 8, Willis, had a tremendous all round game.

[Beasties]

Thought Nowell looked a bit off his game. Hill's handling was comical until he finally managed to catch one. LCD's injury might be a worry for England. Simmonds has gone ahead of the other contenders for the No 8 shirt. The other 8, Willis, had a tremendous all round game.

Willis is quietly building a body of work week after week, the lad is just getting better and better. He was improving last season and starting to influence games at last. This year he seems to be growing into his man strength and becoming a real force as a result. His workrate is insane. Not ready for the full Eng squad, let his gradual improvement keep going, but he's gonna be in the conversation soon enough.

[Peej]

It's was noted some years ago now that the Wasps management always though Tom Willis had a higher potential ceiling than Jack.

Frustrating that Wasps again can't close out a game, or get enough of a grip on it. You look at who is missing, but by the time they are back a threadbare squad is going to be shattered. Also some very practical issues in the immediate-term; with Frost going off with an HIA, and Barbeary and Cruse already injured and Oghre banned, we're now down to our last hooker.

[twitchy]

They are both excellent. Dallaglio was talking about this over the weekend and rarely making a good point. He definitely looks like the most "natural" 8 that we have. Good in a lot of situations.

[Mellsblue]

It wouldn’t surprise me if Edward Jones Esq. didn’t rate Willis’s performance higher than Simmonds’.

[Mellsblue]

They are both excellent. Dallaglio was talking about this over the weekend and rarely making a good point. He definitely looks like the most "natural" 8 that we have. Good in a lot of situations.

Agreed.
Dallaglio did manage to make one good point but it was undermined by him not knowing the advantage laws for free kick vs pen. Scarratt, on the other hand, was top class, as usual.

[Raggs]

It wouldn’t surprise me if Edward Jones Esq. didn’t rate Willis’s performance higher than Simmonds’.

Would it be unreasonable to? He did a huge amount of work in the tight.

[Mikey Brown]

It's was noted some years ago now that the Wasps management always though Tom Willis had a higher potential ceiling than Jack.

Isn't that basically always the way with younger brothers?

I do think T Willis looks great though. He doesn't offer the hitch-kicking, goose-stepping, Caucau-esque 'will he tear it up or will he just stay at home getting high?' element that Dombrandt does, but looks a good all rounder and very hard to put down.

[Mellsblue]

It wouldn’t surprise me if Edward Jones Esq. didn’t rate Willis’s performance higher than Simmonds’.

Would it be unreasonable to? He did a huge amount of work in the tight.

Nope. I thought he was the better no8 of the two.

[Oakboy]

Willis would certainly suit Jones's past style of play better. IMO, Simmonds offers more IF the style of play is adjusted to the optimum appropriate to the overall player availability. That would mean a more open style and a commitment to going all-out to win no matter what the opposition poundage might total.

It might mean we had to have a lump at 6 because our mind-set cannot adjust to, say, Curry, Underhill and Simmonds as a viable unit simply on poundage grounds. Most prefer something like Curry, Underhill, Billy V/Dombrandt/Willis to Lawes/Isiekwe, Curry, Simmonds.

In t'other Willis's continued absence, I believe Curry and Simmonds are our two best back-rowers and I'd start them both.

It's not that long ago that Jones surprised everyone by playing Curry AND Underhill so who knows?

[Peej]

Watching this again, did you see the incident with the water carrier? Absolutely the right call to dismiss him, but how is it ok for an Exeter player to come running in and shove someone over the advertising hoardings? Not even looked at.

Also, I'm beginning to hope the powers that be might have a word with teams about "excessive celebrating". It's getting ridiculous now. The Quins/Bris game was particularly bad for it, but plenty of examples here too from both sides