Exeter Vs Sale

[Tigger]

15.Will Addison; 14.Byron McGuigan, 13.Sam James, 12.Luke James, 11.Marland Yarde; 10.AJ MacGinty, 9.Faf De Klerk; 1.Ross Harrison, 2.Rob Webber, 3.WillGriff John, 4.Bryn Evans, 5.Andrei Ostrikov, 6.Tom Curry, 7.Ben Curry, 8.Jono Ross (Capt.).

Replacements: 16.Marc Jones, 17.Aexandru Tarus, 18.Halani Aulika, 19.Josh Beaumont, 20.Josh Strauss, 21.Will Cliff, 22.Johnny Leota, 23.Paolo Odogwu


CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE SALE SHARKS

15 Lachie Turner
14 Jack Nowell
13 Henry Slade
12 Sam Hill
11 Santiago Cordero
10 Joe Simmonds
9 Nic White
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Yeandle (capt)
3 Tomas Francis
4 Mitch Lees
5 Sam Skinner
6 Dave Ewers
7 Don Armand
8 Sam Simmonds

16 Luke Cowan-Dickie
17 Ben Moon
18 Greg Holmes
19 Dave Dennis
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 Stuart Townsend
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Tom O’Flaherty

[Scrumhead]

I’ll be really interested to see how the Curry twins get on as a partnership. Given they’re up against Ewers and Armand, it’ll be a real clash of styles.

The Currys have been criticised for lacking physicality but so far this season I’ve found it hard to judge, as it looks to me as though Sale use Ross and Strauss to hit the rucks with a Curry supporting in the wider channels in attack and as a roaming tackler in defence.

Ross won’t be able to do the heavy lifting on his own, so one or both of the Currys is going to have to show the more physical side of their game.

[Oakboy]

I’ll be really interested to see how the Curry twins get on as a partnership. Given they’re up against Ewers and Armand, it’ll be a real clash of styles.

The Currys have been criticised for lacking physicality but so far this season I’ve found it hard to judge, as it looks to me as though Sale use Ross and Strauss to hit the rucks with a Curry supporting in the wider channels in attack and as a roaming tackler in defence.

Ross won’t be able to do the heavy lifting on his own, so one or both of the Currys is going to have to show the more physical side of their game.

Yes, as you say, some good comparisons and contrasts. Exeter choose to play Simmonds at 8 when other DORs would swap him with Armand, I'd guess. Sale have their beef at 8. Fascinating.

[Puja]

It's an interesting tactic - Exeter base their game on continual possession, so Sale pick two poachers. Could go well and disrupt Exeter, could go badly and they get run over. Either way, it's interesting.

Is this one on television?

Puja

[Raggs]

Tom is meant to be more physical, and will have to behave in the more physical role that Strauss normally fills.

[fivepointer]

Unfortunately its not on tv. The back row tussle could be very interesting. I'm liking Ross a lot. That he can play 6 and 8 makes him a real possibility for the SA trip I reckon.
Sale need a win to keep alive hopes of a top 6 finish, so i expect they'll really give this one a go.

[p/d]

Sale backrow will cause Exeter all sorts of trouble. Young J Simmonds will need another big game to try and pin Sale back.

[Scrumhead]

It's an interesting tactic - Exeter base their game on continual possession, so Sale pick two poachers. Could go well and disrupt Exeter, could go badly and they get run over. Either way, it's interesting.

Is this one on television?

Puja

Yep. It’ll definitely be a good test of the Currys’ physicality and if they do well, it might help to quieten any talk of their shortcomings.

[Digby]

I don't see how's there's talk of the Curry's shortcomings. Partly they're already over achieving by some margin based on their age, partly they look just fine in contact work

[Scrumhead]

Their lack of effectiveness clearing-out the ruck has been fairly widely commented on.

I agree it’s a little harsh. The evidence is actually reasonably limited, but the narrative around that has been building for a little while.

As I said in my original post in this thread, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to judge them on this when for the bulk of this season, they’ve been used primarily to support in the wide channels with Ross and Strauss doing the majority of the dirty work.

Until they show they can do it, I think there will be question marks. The trouble is, Sale’s tactics don’t really ask for them to smash rucks, so it’s hard to build a body of evidence to show that they can be effective in doing so.

[Digby]

It's been a while since I watched Tom play much. Ben's clearout work is bloody good for his age, he also tends to do well on supporting what's already being done, i.e. as a 2nd man he'll support the 1st man in rather than do something different, though it's maybe bit rote at times. The bigger thing by far seems how he's used in the team system, and whilst one can use that to cite a lack of evidence the breakdown is a strong area it should follow one can hardly use it to say it's a weak area

[Raggs]

Most the comments on their physicality have come from me I believe, and that's normally been tempered with 1. Their age and 2. the role in the system.

[twitchy]

Yeah it's the glos-bath game on bt.

[Scrumhead]

Most the comments on their physicality have come from me I believe, and that's normally been tempered with 1. Their age and 2. the role in the system.

To be fair, I’m not just referring to posters on this forum. I’m thinking more of a general online narrative.

As I’ve said, I don’t necessarily agree with it ...

[Digby]

Ben's basically ahead of where Itoje was at the same age just to add the context by which I view this. He may never push higher, but it seems very weird for people to take a look at such a prospect and comment on a lack of effectiveness, I've got high standards I think and even I wouldn't be other than impressed so far.

[Scrumhead]

That’s fair.

I think there’s a couple of elements to it ...

1) People have ridiculously high standards and expect players to be good at everything.

2) People generally focus on/bemoan what players are less good at rather than applauding their strengths.

3) A lot of the questions around the Currys potential lack of physicality are more in reference to whether they will be picked for England/fit Eddie’s system rather than their actual ability/qualities.

I think point 3 is arguably the most valid as context (as always) is key. I think Ben Curry in particular has been excellent this season. He’s shown up well in almost every facet of what I’d look for in a 7 and has even put in some outrageous moments of skill (kicks etc.) to boot. However, I don’t think he fits Eddie’s ‘physicality first’ game plan which limits his chances of being selected IMO.

*Raggs - to my earlier point, none of this is referring to you personally - more a theme across several forums/podcasts etc.

[16th man]

Ben's basically ahead of where Itoje was at the same age just to add the context by which I view this. He may never push higher, but it seems very weird for people to take a look at such a prospect and comment on a lack of effectiveness, I've got high standards I think and even I wouldn't be other than impressed so far.

I think the online rugby commentariat contains a lot of people who like to prove that they "know their onions" by trying to be the first to shout that the emperor is naked, finding things to criticise in any new prospect.

Both the Curries are well on course to be good players, but as has been shown many times before, it's much harder to take that next step on, and to spot who might make it, especially in the grind of the EPL. Playing with Ross and Strauss is obviously going to help them.

In terms of the game, I reckon the pair of them have been picked to try to get in on the ball, and see if we can get in the ref's ear about Exeter's sealing off of the ball. The game in Manchester was reasonably even and Sale were really pressing at the end.

[fivepointer]

These lads are still 19.
For them to be this good, this early, is really quite something. They have plenty of time to develop their game and improve but they already look major talents to me.

[twitchy]

I think people are just excited at the emerging talent. What is slightly unfair is that a team like england shouldn't have to be turning to 19 year olds in the back row. There should be plenty of more senior players in there.

That being said now that I have properly watched gary graham he looks like he could fit the bill.

[Digby]

If they're good enough at 19 I don't have a problem with that. I'd much rather pick the best players than be wedded to any idea about where we should be strongest in selection

[padprop]

To be honest, I'm quite happy to see that they both dont play super physical games. You need more strings to your bow is this era as if your not naturally a huge brute who barely gets injured, you wont be around very often. I think Underhill is showing this.

[Digby]

To be honest, I'm quite happy to see that they both dont play super physical games. You need more strings to your bow is this era as if your not naturally a huge brute who barely gets injured, you wont be around very often. I think Underhill is showing this.

By being a small brute who often gets injured?

[p/d]

Shame this game wasn’t televised . That said from the games I have seen physicality isn’t a problem for these two boys. Sure they ain’t ‘brutes’ but don’t see them being bullied or falling short in that particular aspect

Class acts in my book.