Chiefs Vs Saracens

[FKAS]

Exeter Chiefs team to face Saracens:

15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Jack Maunder, 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Lukę Cowan-Dickie (cap), 3 Harry Williams, 4 Ruben Van Heerden, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Christ Tshiunza, 8 Jacques Vermeulen

Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Jack Dunne, 20 Sam Simmonds, 21 Sam Maunder, 22 Joe Simmonds, 23 Rory O’Loughlin

Saracens team to face Exeter Chiefs:

15 Elliot Daly, 14 Max Malins, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Theo McFarland, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 James Flynn, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Jackson Wray, 22 Ruben de Haas, 23 Alex Goode

[Timbo]

Wainwright gets in the Welsh squad, but is 4th or 5th choice for Sarries. Weird.

[fivepointer]

Sam & Joe Simmonds on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Slade with something to prove after being ditched by England.

[Oakboy]

Sam & Joe Simmonds on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Slade with something to prove after being ditched by England.

Yes, it's unusual for Saracens not to have a stronger bench than the opposition.

[Timbo]

Sam & Joe Simmonds on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Slade with something to prove after being ditched by England.

Yes, it's unusual for Saracens not to have a stronger bench than the opposition.

Quietly Exeter have built some very impressive depth. They lost a few big names but replaced well and got some fringe players experience during their struggles last season. You’ve got the likes of Sio, Moon, Street, Kirsten, Capstick, Townsend, Kata, Devoto etc not even in that 23. Plus fringe players who are decent Prem options now; Innard, Hodge, Hendrickson, Cordero. They’ll be right up there this season imo.

[FKAS]

Sam & Joe Simmonds on the bench is a bit of a surprise. Slade with something to prove after being ditched by England.

Slade had shoulder surgery over the summer and isn't yet back to 100% apparently.

[twitchy]

Great start from faz.

[Banquo]

Great start from faz.

two dick moves. England captain pfft

[FKAS]

Great start from faz.

It was absolutely moronic but Sarries have got away with conceding penalties instead of tries so far.

[FKAS]

Great start from faz.

two dick moves. England captain pfft

I would hope his days of being captain are done. Lawes, Genge or Curry please

[Banquo]

Great start from faz.

It was absolutely moronic but Sarries have got away with conceding penalties instead of tries so far.

he was lucky they didnt ship at least 7

[Mikey Brown]

What did he do? Missed that part.

[Banquo]

sarries shipping loads of daft pens

[Mikey Brown]

Just realised I can watch it back on the super mega enhanced mode.

Incredible stuff. How did he think he'd get away with that?

[Banquo]

What did he do? Missed that part.

sarries won a turnover pen, reversed when faz charged in to right a non injustice. Then about 2 mins later tirpped Nowell trying to make it look accidental.

great try.

[Banquo]

made amends there

[Banquo]

burglary from sarries

[FKAS]

Mako was really dim with the pen try. Might as well have yelled ping me ref whilst he did it.

[Mikey Brown]

I still cannot get over how slow Nowell is. Put in to acres of space by a beautiful Slade pass and Lewington just jogs across to make up the ground with such ease. Kay praising him just for recycling the ball but you'd really think a winger would be able to make more of that open space.

[Banquo]

I still cannot get over how slow Nowell is. Put in to acres of space by a beautiful Slade pass and Lewington just jogs across to make up the ground with such ease. Kay praising him just for recycling the ball but you'd really think a winger would be able to make more of that open space.

He is very hard to put down, but his lack of pace after 15m and dying with the ball too often (he blew a 4 on 2 in the first half) are minus points for sure.

Sarries very resilient; Itoje immense as always, Billy went well both sides of the ball. I remain underwhelmed by Malins as a winger , Daly was ok and that left boot is a weapon off the tee. Faz will be out for a while I'd think- he was out. Chiefs will be disappointed to lose that way having done well to fight back.

[Spiffy]

I still cannot get over how slow Nowell is. Put in to acres of space by a beautiful Slade pass and Lewington just jogs across to make up the ground with such ease. Kay praising him just for recycling the ball but you'd really think a winger would be able to make more of that open space.

He's getting even slower. Quite a danger for England having a bloke that short of pace on the wing.
Slade sticks his hand up with a very good all-round performance.

[fivepointer]

We've had some cracking Prem games this season but this wasnt one of them. Pretty dire stuff most of the way. Chiefs gift wrapping the game and Saracens doing enough when it mattered to get over the line.
Fingers crossed LCD isnt badly injured.
BOD - who was very good on comms - right to point out that Nowell's inability to get the ball away after often making good ground while under pressure is a weakness.

[FKAS]

We've had some cracking Prem games this season but this wasnt one of them. Pretty dire stuff most of the way. Chiefs gift wrapping the game and Saracens doing enough when it mattered to get over the line.
Fingers crossed LCD isnt badly injured.
BOD - who was very good on comms - right to point out that Nowell's inability to get the ball away after often making good ground while under pressure is a weakness.

I'm pleased he's doing more Prem games, he's very good in comms.

[Banquo]

We've had some cracking Prem games this season but this wasnt one of them. Pretty dire stuff most of the way. Chiefs gift wrapping the game and Saracens doing enough when it mattered to get over the line.
Fingers crossed LCD isnt badly injured.
BOD - who was very good on comms - right to point out that Nowell's inability to get the ball away after often making good ground while under pressure is a weakness.

He’s always died with the ball. One of the reasons I wondered why there was a phase of putting him forward as a 13.

[Timbo]

I enjoyed that game. Good, hard nosed, Autumnal rugby.

Thought most of the England lads/prospects looked sharp and this sort of game will be a decent tune up for the bigger games to come. Best I’ve seen Nowell play for a while, he’s clearly benefiting from a run of games (despite his critics).