Quins v Exeter Fri 7.45

[fivepointer]

Harlequins: Brown; Earle, Northmore, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Garcia Botta, Baldwin, Louw, Symons, Lewies (capt), Lawday, Evans, Dombrandt

Replacements: Musk, Els, Kerrod, Young, White, Stafford, Tapuai, Green

Exeter: Cordero; O'Flaherty, Whitten, Devoto, Woodburn; J Simmonds, Maunder; Hepburn, Yeandle (capt), Williams, Witty, Armand, Ewers, Kirsten, S Simmonds

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Moon, Street, Price, Capstick, Townsend, Skinner, Hendrickson

[FKAS]

How strong is that Chiefs team. Ouch. Quins bench looks pretty weak as well so could be a Chiefs long grind approach in the first hour then them run away with it late on.

[Banquo]

surprising that if LCD is available he isn't straight back with England. Armand at seoond row is 'interesting'.

[FKAS]

Eddie might want LCD to get a game under his belt first. Maybe two. LCD only being on the bench suggests he probably isn't 100% yet.

Against another side Armand may have not been pushed into the second row but as he's good enough in the lineout and big enough to push in the scrum then the extra mobility of four backrow should help quite a bit against Quins.

[Banquo]

Eddie might want LCD to get a game under his belt first. Maybe two. LCD only being on the bench suggests he probably isn't 100% yet.

Against another side Armand may have not been pushed into the second row but as he's good enough in the lineout and big enough to push in the scrum then the extra mobility of four backrow should help quite a bit against Quins.

He normally grabs them for 'conditioning'.

[fivepointer]

Exe are a bit short at lock. Gray and Skinner with Scotland, Hill with England and Dennis has moved on. I wonder if Kirsten will actually lock the scrum as he has played there on occasions.
LCD is back a bit sooner than expected. Having Williams at prop is a boost.
Even with the absentees, Exe do look very strong.

[Mikey Brown]

Just seems odd when Kirsten looks so much like he'd be a lock in any other side. Interesting Yeandle takes the captaincy back from Simmonds when he plays.

Quins side I'm sad to say doesn't look miles off our likely first choice for this season.

[Oakboy]

Can someone tell me about Witty? I'm not sure I've seen him play.

[fivepointer]

Former Newcastle player as well as England u20. has the size and athleticism to be quite an asset. Didnt play much last season due to injury.

[Scrumhead]

Just seems odd when Kirsten looks so much like he'd be a lock in any other side. Interesting Yeandle takes the captaincy back from Simmonds when he plays.

Quins side I'm sad to say doesn't look miles off our likely first choice for this season.

Indeed. Only really Marler, Chisholm and Marchant missing from a first XV.

I’m excited to see Green though. I think he could be a great signing.

[twitchy]

LCD had an operation. I'm not sure the exact details. I'm guessing they are easing him back in.

[Mellsblue]

Simmonds just gassed Earle. #wheels

[Raggs]

Earle was never going flat out. Care was,caught up and then realised he was going to have to try and tackle him, and dropped off .

[Raggs]

The vertical lines Exeter use in attack are nice, completely negates having 14 players in the line, when the attack only targets 2 of them, but challenges them to cover 3/4 attackers.

[FKAS]

The vertical lines Exeter use in attack are nice, completely negates having 14 players in the line, when the attack only targets 2 of them, but challenges them to cover 3/4 attackers.

They are really good at overloading a channel. So many big forwards doing it as well. Must be horrible to try and defend.

[Mellsblue]

I enjoyed Kay and Doyle doing the two metre tango during halftime analysis. Both of them wrapping their inside foot around the foot of the fencing to control their distance. Lovely horizontal lines.

[Puja]

That Brown decision at the end of the half was weird. The ref called Woodburn for tackling him in the air, but Brown is on the way down and Woodburn almost certainly would have made contact after he touched the ground if it wasn't for Brown kicking his leg out and Cantonaing him in the chest.

This is a good entertaining game. I was worried after the first few minutes of caterpillar ruck and box kick.

Also, what has happened to Maunder's passing? He used to be the young 9 that I lauded for his precision, but it was all over the place in that first half. Is he auditioning for Eddie as a Youngs replacement?

Puja

[Mellsblue]

This is a good entertaining game. I was worried after the first few minutes of caterpillar ruck and box kick.

Puja

It’s annoying me how Ridley waits until the ball has slowly been kicked to the back of the caterpillar before shouting “use it”.

[Puja]

This is a good entertaining game. I was worried after the first few minutes of caterpillar ruck and box kick.

Puja

It’s annoying me how Ridley waits until the ball has slowly been kicked to the back of the caterpillar before shouting “use it”.

Yeah, me too, but aside from that I think he's had a relatively good game. It'd be good if one of the young refs kicked on this year.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

This is a good entertaining game. I was worried after the first few minutes of caterpillar ruck and box kick.

Puja

It’s annoying me how Ridley waits until the ball has slowly been kicked to the back of the caterpillar before shouting “use it”.

Yeah, me too, but aside from that I think he's had a relatively good game. It'd be good if one of the young refs kicked on this year.

Puja

Agreed. He’s a good ref. It’s just my current pet hate.

[Mellsblue]

Hendrickson‘s hair is glorious.

[Raggs]

That Brown decision at the end of the half was weird. The ref called Woodburn for tackling him in the air, but Brown is on the way down and Woodburn almost certainly would have made contact after he touched the ground if it wasn't for Brown kicking his leg out and Cantonaing him in the chest.

This is a good entertaining game. I was worried after the first few minutes of caterpillar ruck and box kick.

Also, what has happened to Maunder's passing? He used to be the young 9 that I lauded for his precision, but it was all over the place in that first half. Is he auditioning for Eddie as a Youngs replacement?

Puja

Odogwu got a red for catching someone in the face in exactly the same situation.

[Mellsblue]

Townsend must get a lot of stick for that ‘haircut’.

[Mellsblue]

I like the cut of Northmore’s jib. Quins’ answer to Conrad Smith.

[Mellsblue]

Love the TTT celebration.