Exeter v Falcons

[Epaminondas Pules]

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Josh Hodge
14 Dan John
13 Zack Wimbush
12 Joe Hawkins
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Will Becconsall
1 Scott Sio
2 Jack Yeandle (c)
3 Josh Iosefa-Scott
4 Rusi Tuima
5 Lewis Pearson
6 Ethan Roots
7 Richard Capstick
8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:
16 Dan Frost
17 Danny Southworth
18 Marcus Street
19 Jacques Vermeulen
20 Ross Vintcent
21 Stu Townsend
22 Will Haydon-Wood
23 Will Rigg

Newcastle Falcons v Exeter Chiefs (Saturday, 3pm, Sandy Park)

15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Eduardo Bello, 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 John Kelly, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Ben Douglas, 22 Cameron Hutchison, 23 Matias Moroni.

Not available for selection: James Elliott, Kiran McDonald, Hugh O’Sullivan, Ben Redshaw, Pedro Rubiolo, Michael van Vuuren.

[TheNomad]

I like Hodge as a player - but he’ll need to sort his defence if he’s got any Test ambitions.

Was absolutely bounced on the weekend for Falcons’ first try.

There’s a risk he’ll be considered too lightweight.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Everyone gets bumped from time to time. It’s a rooted front in tackle against someone with momentum. It happens. And to be fair we should be praising the bump, which was phenomenal!

[FKAS]

Hodge has had issues in contact previously both in attack and defence. He's skillful and rapid but built like a twiglet. 6ft2 and 13.5 stone is pretty light by pro rugby standards. Furbank is two inches shorter and 3/4 stone heavier.

[fivepointer]

Stevenson is no flyweight and got into a very strong position. Hodge just isnt a big lad and does lack physicality.

[FKAS]

To be fair there's some nice footwork by Stevenson before contact to sit Hodge onto his heels. Stevenson is then always taking contact on his terms and when there's such a momentum advantage, very hard for Hodge to do much more than be a speed bump.

[16th man]

Everyone gets bumped from time to time. It’s a rooted front in tackle against someone with momentum. It happens. And to be fair we should be praising the bump, which was phenomenal!

You know the rules. From now on any mention of his name must be followed by someone saying that he's defensively weak.

[TheNomad]

Everyone gets bumped from time to time. It’s a rooted front in tackle against someone with momentum. It happens. And to be fair we should be praising the bump, which was phenomenal!

You know the rules. From now on any mention of his name must be followed by someone saying that he's defensively weak.

That's not fair - I'm not making him a scapegoat. I do think it's fair to question his physicality

[FKAS]

Everyone gets bumped from time to time. It’s a rooted front in tackle against someone with momentum. It happens. And to be fair we should be praising the bump, which was phenomenal!

You know the rules. From now on any mention of his name must be followed by someone saying that he's defensively weak.

That's not fair - I'm not making him a scapegoat. I do think it's fair to question his physicality

I think people have been questioning his physicality for some time. When he first moved to Exeter for instance and went through a spell of regularly dropping the ball in contact. He's certainly improved but as I said above he's very lightweight for modern rugby and being 6ft2 it's not like there's a low centre of gravity for him either.

Get him on the same summer program the Saints S&C guys put the team through last summer. Furbank added a few kgs, Hodge could do with at least another 5kg of muscle.

[Spiffy]

You know the rules. From now on any mention of his name must be followed by someone saying that he's defensively weak.

That's not fair - I'm not making him a scapegoat. I do think it's fair to question his physicality

I think people have been questioning his physicality for some time. When he first moved to Exeter for instance and went through a spell of regularly dropping the ball in contact. He's certainly improved but as I said above he's very lightweight for modern rugby and being 6ft2 it's not like there's a low centre of gravity for him either.

Get him on the same summer program the Saints S&C guys put the team through last summer. Furbank added a few kgs, Hodge could do with at least another 5kg of muscle.

Quick. Somebody tell Capuozzo , Libbok and Arendse, before it's too late, that they are way too small and flimsy to ever make it in top class rugby.

[TheNomad]

It’s less a question of size, and more of power. He’s improved, but I’ve seen the guy get turned in contact and miss tackles slightly too often - I say this only because I saw someone mention him as an option at 15 for England and I think it’s too early

He’s a very talented player, and I hope he continues to improve

[FKAS]

That's not fair - I'm not making him a scapegoat. I do think it's fair to question his physicality

I think people have been questioning his physicality for some time. When he first moved to Exeter for instance and went through a spell of regularly dropping the ball in contact. He's certainly improved but as I said above he's very lightweight for modern rugby and being 6ft2 it's not like there's a low centre of gravity for him either.

Get him on the same summer program the Saints S&C guys put the team through last summer. Furbank added a few kgs, Hodge could do with at least another 5kg of muscle.

Quick. Somebody tell Capuozzo , Libbok and Arendse, before it's too late, that they are way too small and flimsy to ever make it in top class rugby.

They are all shorter than 6ft and a similar weight. As I said there's no low centre of gravity to Hodge which makes his lack of weight tough. For someone of his height and physique it's going to be difficult at the contact area. I didn't say he couldn't make it just that he might have to add a bit of extra muscle.

[Oakboy]

As ever, our English attitude requires that we highlight Hodge's weaknesses and undervalue his strengths instead of taking the whole package with a balanced assessment. Hodge is probably the quickest of the FB candidates by some distance. Overall, he offers (potentially) the best attacking option and, provided that his rugby brain adapts for internationals, his speed makes him a good defensive cover. Since most FB tackles are made side-on, tackling skill may be adequate compensation for any lack of bulk. He is useful in the air already. He may or may not make the step-up but he should be tried out as soon as possible, IMO.

[TheNomad]

As ever, our English attitude requires that we highlight Hodge's weaknesses and undervalue his strengths instead of taking the whole package with a balanced assessment.

Again, I object to this. I think he's a very talented player, and I am looking at the whole package. I would say that his attack is arguably better than Furbanks and certainly better than Stewards. However, his attack is not yet sufficiently superior to make up for his short comings into contact. If he can improve that, then yes, for sure.

Hodge is probably the quickest of the FB candidates by some distance. Overall, he offers (potentially) the best attacking option and, provided that his rugby brain adapts for internationals, his speed makes him a good defensive cover. Since most FB tackles are made side-on, tackling skill may be adequate compensation for any lack of bulk. He is useful in the air already.

Agree about his speed, not yet sold (though I remain open minded) on the defensive aspect

He may or may not make the step-up but he should be tried out as soon as possible, IMO.

Quite possibly correct, though at the moment he's rightly behind Furbank and Steward in the pecking order

[FKAS]

He may or may not make the step-up but he should be tried out as soon as possible, IMO.

Depends entirely on form. If he's ripping it up by the end of the season then yeah he should be in the mix if not then no.