Exeter vs Sale, Semi Final Sat 19th, 16.30

[morepork]

Hill the penalty machine. Not exactly subtle is he?

[16th man]

Hill the penalty machine. Not exactly subtle is he?

Absolutely got away with a blatant one at the maul at the end of the first half too

[16th man]

Sale just never been able to establish any phases of possession.

[Mellsblue]

Hill the penalty machine. Not exactly subtle is he?

Absolutely got away with a blatant one at the maul at the end of the first half too

Seems to be a bit of a gobby tw@t with the ref, too.

[Digby]

Hill the penalty machine. Not exactly subtle is he?

Absolutely got away with a blatant one at the maul at the end of the first half too

McCaw built a career on such

[Mellsblue]

Sale must have the most callow halfback combo in Prem semi history.

[Mellsblue]

Hill the penalty machine. Not exactly subtle is he?

Absolutely got away with a blatant one at the maul at the end of the first half too

McCaw built a career on such

Poor old Rutchie.

[morepork]

and another one. He's a liability.

[morepork]

Oh, and McCaw wasn't that thick BTW.

[Mellsblue]

Sale have done well to get this far given there is feck all structure in their back play. Granted they’re better with Macginty but it’s still very much a work in progress, and from a low starting point.

[Spiffy]

Jack Nowell looking likely as a Lions standby back three replacement.

[16th man]

Sale have done well to get this far given there is feck all structure in their back play. Granted they’re better with Macginty but it’s still very much a work in progress, and from a low starting point.

With that midfield the lack of times when either of the was sent on the crash was bizaare

[fivepointer]

Sale badly missed McGinty and James. Exe made the most of their periods of control. Thought LCD and Nowell were outstanding.

[Banquo]

Sale badly missed McGinty and James. Exe made the most of their periods of control. Thought LCD and Nowell were outstanding.

Joe Simmonds was good. I really like Yeandle too.

[Banquo]

Jack Nowell looking likely as a Lions standby back three replacement.

Guarantee he’s injured before then.

[Magic_sponge]

Someone far more rugby-tactics educated than me, what was with the massive in goal area today? I'm sure I haven't seen that at other sandy park games, so presumably that's tactical. Was it that they thought it would hinder Sale's rush defence because it makes the chip over the top easier? And so make them hold back a bit?

[Mikey Brown]

Hmm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57592902

Certainly feels like he answers a few of his own questions here.

[Puja]

Hmm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57592902

Certainly feels like he answers a few of his own questions here.

I'm always a bit alarmed nowadays when I see an article of an Exeter player querying how COVID is being handled, but I think there is a point there. If it's not safe for large crowds, then there shouldn't be exceptions for Wimbledon and football. If they're fine, why isn't rugby?

Puja

[Raggs]

Football is important. Wimbledon is too. Shows off to the world. Both bad decisions for public health, but there's more money in it, so that's what's important...

Glasgow has been in lockdown for god knows how long. But they're having/had massive events for the euros, whilst the general population have been expected to be living in lockdown still.

[fivepointer]

It is inconsistent and Nowell has a perfectly fair point.

I guess its down to exposure. Pictures of large crowds at football and tennis will be beamed across Europe and beyond indicating the UK is back to normal. the Prem final wont have the same draw.

Govt cynically trying to get some favourable headlines and a bit of boosterism....well, yep its down to that I reckon.

Still astonishes me that park run cannot proceed yet so many other things can.

[FKAS]

Hmm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57592902

Certainly feels like he answers a few of his own questions here.

I'm always a bit alarmed nowadays when I see an article of an Exeter player querying how COVID is being handled, but I think there is a point there. If it's not safe for large crowds, then there shouldn't be exceptions for Wimbledon and football. If they're fine, why isn't rugby?

Puja

Prem Rugby are pretty annoyed apparently. They've had to return thousands of tickets in the same week the government have announced Wembley can have 60,000 in a week or so time for the semi or final whatever of the football to placate UEFA.

Rugby has every right to feel pissed off in my opinion. If I remember rightly the capacity was supposed to be 20k and was knocked down to 10k by the rambling mess that is the Tory Covid policy. I could understand if it was at a club ground but Twickers can hold 80k, a quarter full attendance could easily be managed and socially distanced.

[FKAS]

Still astonishes me that park run cannot proceed yet so many other things can.

Parkrun the untelevised charity events, yeah can't believe the Tories aren't bending over backwards to help them out.

Incidentally Parkrun is the biggest participation sport in the country every weekend but who wants the population going out and being healthy for free. Yes that would help their immune system but no they need to be out spending to prove that the Covid response and Brexit weren't an unmitigated disaster.

Sorry I'll put my soapbox away now.

[Mellsblue]

How I long for the good ol’ days when the cognoscenti on here were saying the bail out of the RFU was the Tory public school boys looking after their own. Now, apparently they’re guilty of the opposite.
That said, I do pity the poor feckers who can’t go for a run without someone else organising it for them.

[Puja]

How I long for the good ol’ days when the cognoscenti on here were saying the bail out of the RFU was the Tory public school boys looking after their own. Now, apparently they’re guilty of the opposite.
That said, I do pity the poor feckers who can’t go for a run without someone else organising it for them.

It's almost as if this government have no consistent morals, ethics, or beliefs and instead just respond to whomever has lobbied/encouraged a person in power most effectively.

Mind that's an inditement on Premier Rugby for having assumed and been relying on lockdown easing, rather than putting in some of the quality work that the LTA and UEFA have clearly done.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

How I long for the good ol’ days when the cognoscenti on here were saying the bail out of the RFU was the Tory public school boys looking after their own. Now, apparently they’re guilty of the opposite.
That said, I do pity the poor feckers who can’t go for a run without someone else organising it for them.

It's almost as if this government have no consistent morals, ethics, or beliefs and instead just respond to whomever has lobbied/encouraged a person in power most effectively.

Mind that's an inditement on Premier Rugby for having assumed and been relying on lockdown easing, rather than putting in some of the quality work that the LTA and UEFA have clearly done.

Puja

The speed you u-turned from moral outrage to the fact they might’ve got this right was cabinet level stuff.
Anyway I’ll leave it to the politics board.... where the soap box stuff should be kept.