Saracens v Exeter Sat 5.30

[fivepointer]

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Rotimi Segun, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Olly Hartley, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ivan van Zyl, 1 Logovi’i Mulipola, 2 James Hadfield, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Theo McFarland, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Andy Christie, 8 Billy Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Sam Crean, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Ollie Stonham, 20 Toby Knight, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Lucio Cinti, 23 Tom Parton

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Josh Hodge, 14 Ben Hammersley, 13 Zack Wimbush, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stu Townsend, 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Jack Yeandle, 3 Marcus Street, 4 Rusi Tuima, 5 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 6 Lewis Pearson, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19 Jack Dunne, 20 Ross Vintcent, 21 Tom Cairns, 22 Charlie McCaig, 23 Arthur Relton

[FKAS]

Good to see Josh Hodge back from that nasty injury. Good timing as well as Exeter look short on senior players in the backs. I seem to remember Relton was pretty quick at under 20s level.

Sarries must surely fancy a win in this one.

[p/d]

Good to see Wimbush unleashed at 13. Future England hybrid 6

[Banquo]

Good to see Wimbush unleashed at 13. Future England hybrid 6

Only a couple of letters away from a national scandal as well.

[Puja]

Good to see Wimbush unleashed at 13. Future England hybrid 6

Holy christ alight! 6ft6 and 17 stone 4 according to Exeter's website. I think we can safely assume he doesn't have any Welsh blood, as Gatland would've already picked him were that the case.

Puja

[FKAS]

Good to see Wimbush unleashed at 13. Future England hybrid 6

Holy christ alight! 6ft6 and 17 stone 4 according to Exeter's website. I think we can safely assume he doesn't have any Welsh blood, as Gatland would've already picked him were that the case.

Puja

Geez, I know Baxter likes playing the lock/6 type players on the flanks but it's a new one to play one at 13 as well. If he's sees that ROG managed to get an 8 to play 12 the other week Fisilau could find himself converted over the 6N break as Chiefs double down further on the maximum physicality approach.

[p/d]

Good to see Wimbush unleashed at 13. Future England hybrid 6

Holy christ alight! 6ft6 and 17 stone 4 according to Exeter's website. I think we can safely assume he doesn't have any Welsh blood, as Gatland would've already picked him were that the case.

Puja

He is a rangy unit, that’s for sure. Think he started as inside centre. Be interesting to see if he has the nads for the physical side ……. Has nifty footwork and alongside Devoto quite a sizeable pairing

[p/d]

Battle of 2 world class kickers

[Mellsblue]

Has Tompkins come straight from the local David Llyod?

[p/d]

Has Tompkins come straight from the local David Llyod?

Is he sporting tighty whities ?

[Mellsblue]

Has Tompkins come straight from the local David Llyod?

Is he sporting tighty whities ?

Hand band and forearm band. Think prime John McEnroe without the hair.

[Spiffy]

Faz seems more relaxed now. But still, he really does not look much more than a decent club fly half. Does nothing to light up the game, stands deep, shovels the ball on, attempts no breaks, can't beat an opponent with speed or footwork etc.. Yet Lancaster expects great things at Racing.

[fivepointer]

Farrell is a good cub player. He was perfectly OK yesterday.

Exeter made far too many errors and fell away badly in the last quarter. Even the usually error free Fisalau dropped balls. The young big lad in the centre did well. Looks a strong runner with something about him.

[p/d]

Farrell is a good cub player. He was perfectly OK yesterday.

Exeter made far too many errors and fell away badly in the last quarter. Even the usually error free Fisalau dropped balls. The young big lad in the centre did well. Looks a strong runner with something about him.

Good to hear Wimbush went well. Agree regards Farrell.

[p/d]

And unlike Farrell Skinner is an average club player who has no stand out feature to his game for orchestrating play

[Oakboy]

And unlike Farrell Skinner is an average club player who has no stand out feature to his game for orchestrating play

I think the half-backs are Baxter's major rebuild failing. I admit to being prejudiced against any FH who does not demand the kicking tee. The return of White and Simmonds would make Exeter close to the top team, for example.

[FKAS]

And unlike Farrell Skinner is an average club player who has no stand out feature to his game for orchestrating play

I think the half-backs are Baxter's major rebuild failing. I admit to being prejudiced against any FH who does not demand the kicking tee. The return of White and Simmonds would make Exeter close to the top team, for example.

Armstrong and Cairns look like they could be half decent 9s for Chiefs it they were paired with a really good 10. I'm surprised Haydon-Wood isn't getting a chance ahead of Skinner. Skinner does seem to be a favourite of Baxter's.

[p/d]

And unlike Farrell Skinner is an average club player who has no stand out feature to his game for orchestrating play

I think the half-backs are Baxter's major rebuild failing. I admit to being prejudiced against any FH who does not demand the kicking tee. The return of White and Simmonds would make Exeter close to the top team, for example.

Don’t get me wrong I have no doubt Skinner is a damn good team player etc etc….. but if we are to pick holes then the halfbacks are far from their strongest unit and, like you, if he doesn’t demand the tee I can’t help feeling that reflects on other aspects of his kicking game

[Banquo]

And unlike Farrell Skinner is an average club player who has no stand out feature to his game for orchestrating play

against any FH who does not demand the kicking tee

no idea why tho

[TheNomad]

The young big lad in the centre did well. Looks a strong runner with something about him.

Do you mean Wimbush or Hartley? Both could fall under that description!

[Epaminondas Pules]

Good to see Wimbush unleashed at 13. Future England hybrid 6

Holy christ alight! 6ft6 and 17 stone 4 according to Exeter's website. I think we can safely assume he doesn't have any Welsh blood, as Gatland would've already picked him were that the case.

Puja

He is a rangy unit, that’s for sure. Think he started as inside centre. Be interesting to see if he has the nads for the physical side ……. Has nifty footwork and alongside Devoto quite a sizeable pairing

He did indeed. Played a lot at 12 for Exeter college. Also played a bit of wing too.

[Oakboy]

And unlike Farrell Skinner is an average club player who has no stand out feature to his game for orchestrating play

against any FH who does not demand the kicking tee

no idea why tho

Neither have I really. I just like a FH who has the character to be in charge and that means he should want the maximum number of touches. Obviously there are multiple skills involved in the different types of kicks but I see them all as integral. Apart from the desire for multiple foot-on-ball touches, there is the mental/psychological factor of wanting to take crunch kicks from the tee. I just can't take to a FH who is avoiding the duty rather than wanting/demanding it. Accuracy from practice, nerve when it matters and a will to 'rule the roost' seem to count for a top FH, somehow.

[Banquo]

against any FH who does not demand the kicking tee

no idea why tho

Neither have I really. I just like a FH who has the character to be in charge and that means he should want the maximum number of touches. Obviously there are multiple skills involved in the different types of kicks but I see them all as integral. Apart from the desire for multiple foot-on-ball touches, there is the mental/psychological factor of wanting to take crunch kicks from the tee. I just can't take to a FH who is avoiding the duty rather than wanting/demanding it. Accuracy from practice, nerve when it matters and a will to 'rule the roost' seem to count for a top FH, somehow.

Odd tbh. Not all 10's will be terrific place kickers, or have exceptional length. Its not ducking anything if you have a Leigh Halfpenny to kick long ones; similarly if you have a tip top left footed kicker, like Slade, why wouldnt you use him to the right touchline; or a better drop kicker for restarts etc etc.

[Which Tyler]

Stephen Larkham especially - must have been a terrible FH.

It's professional sport - if someone else is better than you at something, A] let them do it , and B] If you're offended by that, practice the hell out of that skill until you're better than them.

Bath fans seem to be double edged on this.
Last year, it was absolutely terrible when Spencer had the kicking tee instead of Bailey - despite being a much better place kicker
This year, it's terrible when it takes Russell 3 kicks before giving the tee to Spencer, when he should have known after 2 that he was having a bad day at the office.
(Rationale for that being that Bailey's confidence would be irrevocably shattered by being told that his 60% is less than Ben's 80% - figures plucked from my arse)

[Oakboy]

no idea why tho

Neither have I really. I just like a FH who has the character to be in charge and that means he should want the maximum number of touches. Obviously there are multiple skills involved in the different types of kicks but I see them all as integral. Apart from the desire for multiple foot-on-ball touches, there is the mental/psychological factor of wanting to take crunch kicks from the tee. I just can't take to a FH who is avoiding the duty rather than wanting/demanding it. Accuracy from practice, nerve when it matters and a will to 'rule the roost' seem to count for a top FH, somehow.

Odd tbh. Not all 10's will be terrific place kickers, or have exceptional length. Its not ducking anything if you have a Leigh Halfpenny to kick long ones; similarly if you have a tip top left footed kicker, like Slade, why wouldnt you use him to the right touchline; or a better drop kicker for restarts etc etc.

Ah, so when Ford is at 10 and Farrell at 12 does Farrell do all the kicking because he is better at it or because he is the stronger character?

I've no issue with Daly and Slade kicking the occasional speciality. It's more about wanting the job, the individual character trait and the dedication that goes with it (as in WT's example B] above).