RugbyRebels

Northampton: Mallinder; Tuala, Horne, Burrell, Foden; Francis, Groom; Ma'afu, Hartley (capt), Ford-Robinson, Paterson, Ratuniyarawa, Lawes, Gibson, Harrison

Replacements: Haywood, van Wyk, Hill, Ribbans, Wood, Reinach, Stephenson, Pisi

Exeter: Slade; Nowell, Whitten, Hill, Woodburn; Gareth Steenson (capt), Chudley; Moon, Cowan-Dickie, Williams, Skinner, Hill, Ewers, Armand, S Simmonds

Replacements: Yeandle, Rimmer, Holmes, Lees, Waldrom, Townsend, J Simmonds, Short

Townsend on the bench to keep Puja happy, Slade at 15 to keep someone happy, and Saints, well they can likely only improve so at least their fans aren't miserable

Digby wrote:Townsend on the bench to keep Puja happy, Slade at 15 to keep someone happy, and Saints, well they can likely only improve so at least their fans aren't miserable

Mr Jones?

Got to find a fullback from somewhere I guess.

Dollman and Turner not fit so options at FB are a bit limited. I like the idea of Slade there. Good to see Ewers starting.

Does the Saints revival start here?

Mikey Brown wrote:Got to find a fullback from somewhere I guess.

Not a problem really - give someone like Slade or Daly 3-4 matches there to learn the positioning and they'll be to the manner born. Far better than the idea of playing a specialist winger there who's never played FB in his life.

Digby wrote:Townsend on the bench to keep Puja happy, Slade at 15 to keep someone happy, and Saints, well they can likely only improve so at least their fans aren't miserable

I want Maunder, not Townsend!

Puja

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:Townsend on the bench to keep Puja happy, Slade at 15 to keep someone happy, and Saints, well they can likely only improve so at least their fans aren't miserable

I want Maunder, not Townsend!

Puja

Same difference

Not sure why Maunder is overlooked,. He started in the A league game on Monday so i assume he is fit.

Chudley learnt his craft at Bedford......

'cause they've got 3 other decent 9s, well 2 and Chudley, and even Chudley is solid at this level

Mellsblue wrote:Chudley learnt his craft at Bedford......

I don't understand this. Mind I also don't understand the line from Bugsy Malone where it's stated 'Tallulah had her training in North Carolina' but I assume in that instance there's a joke about North Carolina I'm simply not following, in this instance I'm really confused.

Digby wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Chudley learnt his craft at Bedford......

I don't understand this. Mind I also don't understand the line from Bugsy Malone where it's stated 'Tallulah had her training in North Carolina' but I assume in that instance there's a joke about North Carolina I'm simply not following, in this instance I'm really confused.

He was brought up on the finest learning paddocks in the country. See 12t > Trinder and Bassett > Daly. FYI Daly isn’t really injured.

Digby wrote:'cause they've got 3 other decent 9s, well 2 and Chudley, and even Chudley is solid at this level

Diggers, do you rate White as high as decent, then? I'd have him on the lower side of ordinary - certainly not good enough to justify suppressing English youngsters with potential, anyway.

Digby wrote:'cause they've got 3 other decent 9s, well 2 and Chudley, and even Chudley is solid at this level

Chudley scores a brilliant individual chip and chase try in the first half.

FFS how is it not a penalty try already? Terrible refereeing. You're wasting everyone's time, mate

LCD man of the match put in a beast of a performance.

twitchy wrote:LCD man of the match put in a beast of a performance.

Both George and LCD are now well ahead of Hartley in all-round hooker play.
Had to smile when LCD outsprinted Jack "Greased Lightening" Nowell in a first half kick and chase.

Shame, the atmosphere at the gardens just prior to kick off was the best it's been for quite a while. Unfortunately that was soon put to bed by both Saints and Exeter. From the stands, it seems that Saints were fronting up in the contact in the first 15 mins or so and being physical, but after that just went back to being very passive in defence.

Thought the ref was terrible and really slowed the game down with endless scrum resets

I am also astounded that Dorian West still has a job. The scrum was terrible, but Saints fans are used to that now, but the line out was also a complete shambles. I don't think there was a huge amount between Chiefs and Saints in open play today, but our set piece was woeful

Oakboy wrote:

Digby wrote:'cause they've got 3 other decent 9s, well 2 and Chudley, and even Chudley is solid at this level

Diggers, do you rate White as high as decent, then? I'd have him on the lower side of ordinary - certainly not good enough to justify suppressing English youngsters with potential, anyway.

I'm not sold on White as being especially decent at test level, but at AP level he's got to at least be considered decent. It's a shame he's there if thinking about their young English talent, but once he's there he's justifiably first choice

An ugly win but if that's what it takes . . .

I know the scrum bore spoiled the last 15 minutes or so but the Exeter reserve front row was as strong and slick as the starting one. That has to be every DOR's goal with the 23 man squad system. Baxter is switched on.

Thought Exe made hard work of that. Came through with a BP in the end but they should have wrapped that up well before then. They are at a level now where, even sub par, they are more than a match for most of the Premiership. And yes, having a high quality bench really does matter.
Saints have a lot of ground to make up. They've got the nucleus of a very decent squad but have got to make more of the talent they have available. Starting up front, where the set piece was very poor. Nothing new here. This has been a weakness for a while now. Remind me who runs the forwards at Saints......

fivepointer wrote:Thought Exe made hard work of that. Came through with a BP in the end but they should have wrapped that up well before then. They are at a level now where, even sub par, they are more than a match for most of the Premiership. And yes, having a high quality bench really does matter.
Saints have a lot of ground to make up. They've got the nucleus of a very decent squad but have got to make more of the talent they have available. Starting up front, where the set piece was very poor. Nothing new here. This has been a weakness for a while now. Remind me who runs the forwards at Saints......

The big plus for me is that loads of exe players are back from injury now (even if they aren't fully match fit). The whole game plan relies on having quality all through the squad to keep the pressure up.

I think in previous weeks exe would have kicked to the corner earlier and tried to drive it over but leinster really schooled them in keeping the score board ticking over and taking points constantly from errors. Maybe they were a bit to conservative but it's a learning process still.

Spiffy wrote:

twitchy wrote:LCD man of the match put in a beast of a performance.

Both George and LCD are now well ahead of Hartley in all-round hooker play.
Had to smile when LCD outsprinted Jack "Greased Lightening" Nowell in a first half kick and chase.

100% agree. LCD looks like he’s a man-possessed following his injury lay-off.

I still feel that George is the better all-round player and has a stronger set-piece game, but LCD would be an excellent option of the bench.