QF Toulouse v Exeter

[Banquo]

willis is fantastic in a loose game who knew.

pasting, tho Exeter have fallen apart

[fivepointer]

Exeter pretty good for a half. Did some good things and looked competitive but goodness that 2nd half was abject.

Willis quite outstanding.

[Spiffy]

Exeter have to find ways of getting more out of IFW in attack. He looked very dangerous cutting through midfield off the wing with pace, footwork and power. Hard to stop.

[Banquo]

Exeter pretty good for a half. Did some good things and looked competitive but goodness that 2nd half was abject.

Willis quite outstanding.

the key toulose try v soft

[Banquo]

Exeter have to find ways of getting more out of IFW in attack. He looked very dangerous cutting through midfield off the wing with pace, footwork and power. Hard to stop.

got plenty of touches tbf and they were pumped 2nd half, great use as a dummy runner too

[fivepointer]

Exeter pretty good for a half. Did some good things and looked competitive but goodness that 2nd half was abject.

Willis quite outstanding.

the key toulose try v soft

A few fell into that category i thought. Exeter didnt help themselves at times and Toulouse are far too good to need a helping hand.

[Banquo]

Exeter pretty good for a half. Did some good things and looked competitive but goodness that 2nd half was abject.

Willis quite outstanding.

the key toulose try v soft

A few fell into that category i thought. Exeter didnt help themselves at times and Toulouse are far too good to need a helping hand.

yep but the pivotal one was when they ddnt yet have to chase the game

[Puja]

Toulous just have an extra gear they can go to when needed (although the gulf in quality on the subs benches probably didn't hurt). Pretty much the worst opponents for Quins to face, tbh - they're a team that can score 21 points out of nowhere, no matter what's happened in the game so far, and Quins are a team that can concede 21 points out of nowhere, no matter what's happened in the game so far. Wouldn't surprise me if Quins lead by 20 at one point and then lose by 30.

Puja

[TheNomad]

Have to find a way of getting Willis in the England side. What a player

[francoisfou]

I got back from the game quite late after the post match festivities and I echo the comments above of Jack Willis, who was outstanding. Equally good was Francois Cros, who reminds be a bit of Richard Hill. I can imagine what was said at halftime in the Toulouse changing room, cos the players came out for the second half with a totally different mindset. Jeez it was hot in the stadium this afternoon, the high 20s in the middle of April is worrying! The players must’ve been knackered at the end of the game as I too, was on my last legs!

[Spiffy]

I got back from the game quite late after the post match festivities and I echo the comments above of Jack Willis, who was outstanding. Equally good was Francois Cros, who reminds be a bit of Richard Hill. I can imagine what was said at halftime in the Toulouse changing room, cos the players came out for the second half with a totally different mindset. Jeez it was hot in the stadium this afternoon, the high 20s in the middle of April is worrying! The players must’ve been knackered at the end of the game as I too, was on my last legs!

Agree about Cros. A player who is quietly influential in a non-flash way in every game he plays. Always seems to do the right thing.

[Puja]

I got back from the game quite late after the post match festivities and I echo the comments above of Jack Willis, who was outstanding. Equally good was Francois Cros, who reminds be a bit of Richard Hill. I can imagine what was said at halftime in the Toulouse changing room, cos the players came out for the second half with a totally different mindset. Jeez it was hot in the stadium this afternoon, the high 20s in the middle of April is worrying! The players must’ve been knackered at the end of the game as I too, was on my last legs!

Agree about Cros. A player who is quietly influential in a non-flash way in every game he plays. Always seems to do the right thing.

Agreed. Number of times I namechecked him in the FravEng m-b-m was ridiculous.

Hopefully JWillis has the plan of returning to England at the end of this contract to fight for a place at the RWC.

Puja

[Oakboy]

I got back from the game quite late after the post match festivities and I echo the comments above of Jack Willis, who was outstanding. Equally good was Francois Cros, who reminds be a bit of Richard Hill. I can imagine what was said at halftime in the Toulouse changing room, cos the players came out for the second half with a totally different mindset. Jeez it was hot in the stadium this afternoon, the high 20s in the middle of April is worrying! The players must’ve been knackered at the end of the game as I too, was on my last legs!

Agree about Cros. A player who is quietly influential in a non-flash way in every game he plays. Always seems to do the right thing.

Agreed. Number of times I namechecked him in the FravEng m-b-m was ridiculous.

Hopefully JWillis has the plan of returning to England at the end of this contract to fight for a place at the RWC.

Puja

You'd like to think so but I wonder if he will trust SB to give him a fair crack of the whip. Might life in France tempt him to stay. I think a simple rule change might work - just allow SB to select a maximum of two overseas-based players with no conditions.

[Mikey Brown]

You're willing to have Faz back at 10/12 then?

[Puja]

Agree about Cros. A player who is quietly influential in a non-flash way in every game he plays. Always seems to do the right thing.

Agreed. Number of times I namechecked him in the FravEng m-b-m was ridiculous.

Hopefully JWillis has the plan of returning to England at the end of this contract to fight for a place at the RWC.

Puja

You'd like to think so but I wonder if he will trust SB to give him a fair crack of the whip. Might life in France tempt him to stay. I think a simple rule change might work - just allow SB to select a maximum of two overseas-based players with no conditions.

Any change in the policy sees at least four big name England stars go abroad, as they'll all reckon they can be one of the chosen two. He's not that good of a player to be worth that.

Puja

[p/d]

You're willing to have Faz back at 10/12 then?

[Oakboy]

You're willing to have Faz back at 10/12 then?

Yes, if he becomes our best FH. Currently, he is our 4th best so I'd risk it!!!!

[Oakboy]

Agreed. Number of times I namechecked him in the FravEng m-b-m was ridiculous.

Hopefully JWillis has the plan of returning to England at the end of this contract to fight for a place at the RWC.

Puja

You'd like to think so but I wonder if he will trust SB to give him a fair crack of the whip. Might life in France tempt him to stay. I think a simple rule change might work - just allow SB to select a maximum of two overseas-based players with no conditions.

Any change in the policy sees at least four big name England stars go abroad, as they'll all reckon they can be one of the chosen two. He's not that good of a player to be worth that.

Puja

That's where I disagree. Willis is simply our best back rower.

[Mikey Brown]

Based on what?

I rate him massively but have we seen anything like his Wasps/Toulouse form for England? I can't remember the timeline of his England (un)availability, but it didn't seem like he demanded a spot for Borthwick. It's crazy that he's 27 already.

Whereas we both know 100% that Farrell starts if he wants to.

[francoisfou]

You'd like to think so but I wonder if he will trust SB to give him a fair crack of the whip. Might life in France tempt him to stay. I think a simple rule change might work - just allow SB to select a maximum of two overseas-based players with no conditions.

Any change in the policy sees at least four big name England stars go abroad, as they'll all reckon they can be one of the chosen two. He's not that good of a player to be worth that.

Puja

That's where I disagree. Willis is simply our best back rower.

On yesterday's form, yes, and with a potential England back row of 6 Willis, 7 Earl and 8 Mercer, many England supporters would be very happy.

[FKAS]

You'd like to think so but I wonder if he will trust SB to give him a fair crack of the whip. Might life in France tempt him to stay. I think a simple rule change might work - just allow SB to select a maximum of two overseas-based players with no conditions.

Any change in the policy sees at least four big name England stars go abroad, as they'll all reckon they can be one of the chosen two. He's not that good of a player to be worth that.

Puja

That's where I disagree. Willis is simply our best back rower.

He's very good but either they are in or they are out. Harsh on those guys who've seen their clubs go under but the rules are there for good reason and I've yet to see a god reason to change them. As Puja says it's tough enough keeping the best talent, having two selections will see more big names go abroad that the Prem would have otherwise retained. A weaker England side or an abolishment of the rules which will decimate the Premiership (see Wales as an example).

[Puja]

You'd like to think so but I wonder if he will trust SB to give him a fair crack of the whip. Might life in France tempt him to stay. I think a simple rule change might work - just allow SB to select a maximum of two overseas-based players with no conditions.

Any change in the policy sees at least four big name England stars go abroad, as they'll all reckon they can be one of the chosen two. He's not that good of a player to be worth that.

Puja

That's where I disagree. Willis is simply our best back rower.

I'm not denying that he's our best back rower, but he's not a big enough improvement to be worth imperilling the entire English player development system, and that's without taking into account that his international time would be on a strict Regulation 9 basis, so he'd be unavailable for training weeks to integrate with the team and gameplan, the 4th AI, possibly unavailable for summer tours depending on the Top 14 final, and having to fly back to Toulouse to play in the rest weeks of the 6N.

He's a great player. I wish he was properly available for England. He knows how to do that if he wants to.

Puja

[Banquo]

Any change in the policy sees at least four big name England stars go abroad, as they'll all reckon they can be one of the chosen two. He's not that good of a player to be worth that.

Puja

That's where I disagree. Willis is simply our best back rower.

I'm not denying that he's our best back rower, but he's not a big enough improvement to be worth imperilling the entire English player development system, and that's without taking into account that his international time would be on a strict Regulation 9 basis, so he'd be unavailable for training weeks to integrate with the team and gameplan, the 4th AI, possibly unavailable for summer tours depending on the Top 14 final, and having to fly back to Toulouse to play in the rest weeks of the 6N.

He's a great player. I wish he was properly available for England. He knows how to do that if he wants to.

Puja

we also don't know if he is our best rower at intl level. He was fantastic though- great openside display (and probably helps your point about Exeter's back row configuration, which works fine against lesser sides)

[SixAndAHalf]

As I’ve said in another thread the RFU are diverting money away from everything that will grow the domestic game over the longer term to fund the clubs keeping international players. We would be far better to allow the French to fund a few of the England team with the clubs moving towards a sustainable staffing cost. I dont see the huge risk of a mass exodus as the french teams have to work to the JIFF rules.

I could also see it benefiting someone like Itoje to be playing the big packs in France weekly, as it seemingly has to Willis.

[Puja]

As I’ve said in another thread the RFU are diverting money away from everything that will grow the domestic game over the longer term to fund the clubs keeping international players. We would be far better to allow the French to fund a few of the England team with the clubs moving towards a sustainable staffing cost. I dont see the huge risk of a mass exodus as the french teams have to work to the JIFF rules.

Lowering the quality of the Premiership and meaning that young players aren't properly tested and don't develop as well, meaning a lower quality England team and less money for the Prem cause sponsors/fans/tv won't pay for losers. That's how death spirals begin.

The whole thing of "French clubs have to work to JIFF rules, so they won't take too many" is a red herring. There are 28 pro French clubs, so there's plenty of international spots and, if they're already interested in Joe Simmonds, they'll happily relieve us of MSmith, FSmith, and Ford.

Plus there's a definite argument to be made that the policy is actually reducing English clubs' staffing costs - they're getting England players at a significant reduction to their market price because those England players know they'll earn less overall if they miss out on England appearance money.

Puja