Exeter vs Sale, Semi Final Sat 19th, 16.30

[jimKRFC]

Referee: Tom Foley

Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace & Anthony Woodthorpe

TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Citing officer: Nick Wood

[16th man]

The breakdown will be carnage again so it will be interesting to see how they handle it.

[jimKRFC]

EXETER:
15 Jack Nowell, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, |11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 Joe Simmonds (capt), 9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Jannes Kirsten, 7 Richard Capstick, 8 Sam Simmonds

Subs:
16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Sean Lonsdale, 20 Don Armand, 21 Stu Townsend, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Stuart Hogg

Sale:
15. Simon Hammersley, 14. Byron McGuigan, 13. Sam James, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Robert Du Preez, 9. Faf de Klerk, 1. Ross Harrison,
2. Curtis Langdon, 3. Coenie Oosthuizen, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. Jean-Luc du Preez, 6. Tom Curry (C), 7. Ben Curry (Capt.), 8. Daniel du Preez.

Replacements:
16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Valero Morozov, 18. Will-Griff John, 19. James Phillips, 20. Joni Ross, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Kieran Wilkinson, 23. Rohan Janse van Rensburg

[fivepointer]

Nowell for Hogg is a bold selection. The Exe back 5 is bolstered by Gray returning. Got a feeling Exe will be sharper out the blocks this week.

[Scrumhead]

They’ll need to be. To be honest, I think Sale are smelling blood in the water (see what I did there?) and I think the first quarter of this game will be massive in determining this result.

Sale will be smarting from not finishing the job last week and even without MacGinty, I think their pack will win the physical battle and own the breakdown.

[16th man]

If the ref forces a contest at the breakdown, you fancy Sale's backrow all day. If that's going to be enough is the question.

[Mikey Brown]

Lol. Both Currys are captain. Not even co-captains, they’re just the same person. Great to see that Ben was able to force his way back in with a dozen other hench South African backrows available.

Kick up the arse for Hogg? I always like the idea of Nowell at 15 but not sure how many times he’s actually played there since age grade rugby? Kirsten and Gray definitely makes a difference.

[Banquo]

Nowell for Hogg is a bold selection. The Exe back 5 is bolstered by Gray returning. Got a feeling Exe will be sharper out the blocks this week.

More odd than bold, esp as Sale like a high kick or two. Perhaps Hogg has been vaccinated.....

[Digby]

If the ref forces a contest at the breakdown, you fancy Sale's backrow all day. If that's going to be enough is the question.

Exeter do though simplify what they need to do in this area somewhat. They can take much better body positions more easily than the opposition backrow can get near the ball

If Exeter couldn't resource their attack given it near doesn't exist at times that would be a concern, and much more the game will be about collisions. Unless maybe Exeter do open the game up in the spirit of trying to make people like them, or at least not think so badly of them

[Banquo]

If the ref forces a contest at the breakdown, you fancy Sale's backrow all day. If that's going to be enough is the question.

Exeter do though simplify what they need to do in this area somewhat. They can take much better body positions more easily than the opposition backrow can get near the ball

If Exeter couldn't resource their attack given it near doesn't exist at times that would be a concern, and much more the game will be about collisions. Unless maybe Exeter do open the game up in the spirit of trying to make people like them, or at least not think so badly of them

I'd think Sale would fancy themselves on the collision front.

[Digby]

If the ref forces a contest at the breakdown, you fancy Sale's backrow all day. If that's going to be enough is the question.

Exeter do though simplify what they need to do in this area somewhat. They can take much better body positions more easily than the opposition backrow can get near the ball

If Exeter couldn't resource their attack given it near doesn't exist at times that would be a concern, and much more the game will be about collisions. Unless maybe Exeter do open the game up in the spirit of trying to make people like them, or at least not think so badly of them

I'd think Sale would fancy themselves on the collision front.

They may well do, they should even, but Exeter haven't finished ahead of Sale for a while now because they can't poop all over what Sale might fancy.

[Banquo]

Exeter do though simplify what they need to do in this area somewhat. They can take much better body positions more easily than the opposition backrow can get near the ball

If Exeter couldn't resource their attack given it near doesn't exist at times that would be a concern, and much more the game will be about collisions. Unless maybe Exeter do open the game up in the spirit of trying to make people like them, or at least not think so badly of them

I'd think Sale would fancy themselves on the collision front.

They may well do, they should even, but Exeter haven't finished ahead of Sale for a while now because they can't poop all over what Sale might fancy.

Sale have somewhat raised their game this season, and were in a good position to win last time they met.

[Digby]

I'd think Sale would fancy themselves on the collision front.

They may well do, they should even, but Exeter haven't finished ahead of Sale for a while now because they can't poop all over what Sale might fancy.

Sale have somewhat raised their game this season, and were in a good position to win last time they met.

Exeter do have the feel of having sat on their laurels a little too much, though leeway is needed given the weirdness of the last year or so. It'd be nice if someone could make Exeter conclude they need more to their game, whether losing to another limited side who come out on top in the collisions stakes would do that I don't know, probably not

[Mellsblue]

They may well do, they should even, but Exeter haven't finished ahead of Sale for a while now because they can't poop all over what Sale might fancy.

Sale have somewhat raised their game this season, and were in a good position to win last time they met.

Exeter do have the feel of having sat on their laurels a little too much, though leeway is needed given the weirdness of the last year or so. It'd be nice if someone could make Exeter conclude they need more to their game, whether losing to another limited side who come out on top in the collisions stakes would do that I don't know, probably not

This.

[Big D]

Big decision early in the game but think the ref got it right.

[Big D]

Poor defence from Sale there. Shouldn't be losing a try to a tap and go like that.

[Danno]

Capstick off injured?

[Big D]

Capstick off injured?

HIA after Tuilagi tackle.

[Banquo]

Nowell for Hogg is a bold selection. The Exe back 5 is bolstered by Gray returning. Got a feeling Exe will be sharper out the blocks this week.

More odd than bold, esp as Sale like a high kick or two. Perhaps Hogg has been vaccinated.....

As I said, great call

[16th man]

2 bad penalty calls on 2 straight scrums. Williams being allowed to go too long and being rewarded for it.

[16th man]

Properly weak reffing so far.

[Spiffy]

Just reviewed the tries at half time. After O'Flaherty scored and had already got to his feet, McGuigan came charging in and knocked him flying. This was not a marginally late hit - It was a bad tempered and dangerous piece of foul play well after the touchdown. Totally needless. Good case for a penalty there, after the conversion. Hate that kind of stuff on the rugby field.

[morepork]

If the Sale backs could sort out running straight and passing....



and that crowd chanting.....sweet jebus, how is that allowed to stand??

[Digby]

Manu has not started either half well

[Mellsblue]

“Use it” two more players join the ruck, an ice age comes and goes and we get a box kick. Pisses me off.