The Rugby Forum - Aviva Premiership Rugby

Exeter Chiefs take their first scalp...

abovetheundercroft — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:24:49 GMT

22-10 to the Chiefs. What can I say? A dream start. I dont think Ive stopped chanting the Tomahawk for 12 hours and I kept hearing it out around the town late into the night. Gloucester seemed to be expecting a walkover and it wasn't. To be fair to Nicky Robinson Sandy Park is a tricky place for kicking with the westerly wind blowing unless your used to it. Its a good win but I'm not getting carried away, Exeter are still very much the underdogs and I expect next week (Welford road) to be at least a 20 point defeat. Thats not the point tho, survival is the aim of the game, and we didnt pander to boring rugby, without a couple of silly errors there were two more easy Chiefs tries in there.

After 14 years of dreaming a group of us were standing around pinching each other, actually pinching each other, having started watching as 8 year old kids seeing a club that started then with this dream with and a die hard of 200 odd fans fill a 10,000 seat stadium beating Gloucester. I am so proud of my club tonight.

From the Telegraph

"The Premiership is spiteful to its newcomer, denying them the same financial advantages as the rest of the league, and preventing them from building a squad owing to the lateness that promotion is confirmed.

That was what made Exeter�s victory that bit more special. It was one in the eye for the authorities who want to keep their doors shut and their old boys� club cosy. Bet they are all over Exeter now."

Can we take many more scalps? Only time will tell...

Are Saracens going to be doomed?

saracenangel — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:34:27 GMT

Hey guys,

Saracens lost to London Irish emphatically earlier. Does this mean that they are going to be doomed in their bid to repeat last season's success or will they be able to fight back? Opinions please!

Sport Guru Banter thread

Bullitt — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:19:11 GMT

Banter regarding the Sport Guru league in here

http://www.sportguru.co.uk/avivapremiership/

Superpool: The Rugby Forum
Passcode: oopslulu

New Rugby Season!!

rugbylad1 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:01:52 GMT

Anyone else excited about the start of the new season? I have my fingers crossed for Quins, I wonder how we will do with Robshaw as a new captain! : http://tinyurl.com/3yqosjh

:)

Cockerill Bans Tigers From Twitter

Olyy — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:33:06 GMT

Cockerill has banned the Tigers from Twitter after Jordan Crane tweets about an injury

My personal favorite line is:

Quote:

"He is banned from Tweeting. The next time he does that I will break both his ankles,"

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2...340042,00.html

Bathisans...

Bullitt — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:07:39 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...th/8941313.stm

Bath and England flanker Lewis Moody says he is expecting to pick up more trophies as he embarks on his first season at his new club.

Moody, 32, joined from Leicester last month having picked up seven Premiership titles and two Heineken Cups in his 14 years at Welford Road.

"The reason I play is to be part of winning sides and part of that is silverware," he told BBC Points West.

"It takes a lot of commitment and this side has it in abundance."

Bath have won only one trophy in the last 12 years when they picked the European Challenge Cup in 2008 but Moody does not think they are that far away from more success.

"I played in the Premiership semi-final last year at Welford Road [which Leicester won 15-6] and the game could have gone either way," he said.

"I think this Bath side is very hungry for success and it's obvious to see.

"It's a quality side down here and I'm glad to be part of something special.

Having spent all his professional life with Leicester, the British and Irish Lion is now having to tune into a very different way of playing.

"You can't lie and say it's not difficult but it's been interesting to learn a new procedure," added Moody.

"But at the end of the day you play to the guys around you and I'm now part of a new set-up and it's about me fitting in to a new ethos."

Exeter on the bloody moan already...

Bullitt — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:07:00 GMT

Funding 'disgusts' Exeter CEO

Chiefs CEO criticises Premiership "old boys' club"

With just two weeks to go before the start of the new season, Exeter CEO Tony Rowe has labelled the funding on offer to the Aviva Premiership newcomers as "disgusting".
Having only confirmed their status in the top flight in May when they beat Bristol in a play-off, the Chiefs have been behind their new rivals in terms of recruitment and planning.
However their cause has been hindered further because, having never been a part of the top division before, they will receive less than half of the �2.5m of central funding handed out to other clubs.
"The way the Premiership is set up, it's an old boys' club in that the longer you're there, the more money you get," Rowe told The Daily Telegraph.
"Everything is stacked against us. We've got one hand tied behind our back. I think it's disgusting."
Upset

Exeter must also spend six seasons in the Premiership to qualify for the full �1.75m of parachute payments handed to relegated clubs.
"I let Premier Rugby know how upset my management team was over that," Rowe said.
"We are massively disadvantaged."
Even so, Rowe is confident the Chiefs can overcome such hurdles and confirmed they will still spend up to the limit of the �4.23m salary cap, something many promoted teams in the past have failed to do.
"We can overcome all this," he added.
"I'm a half-full rather than a half-empty person. We're the only club that has ticked all the boxes on minimum criteria coming up. We've got a massive responsibility to our supporters. We're the senior sporting club in the West Country."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...320819,00.html

Gavin Kerr has to retire

Intercept King JDV — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:52:15 GMT

Sale Sharks have announced the forced retirement of prop Gavin Kerr

Quote:

Gavin (33) joined the club from Edinburgh with a wealth of experience under his belt. Capped 50 times by Scotland, including appearances at two World Cups, he made the break into professional rugby with Leeds in 2001, joining the Tykes from Caldy. He was a member of the Yorkshire club's team which won the Powergen Cup 20-12 against Bath at Twickenham in 2005

He would make over 100 appearances for the Yorkshire club before moving back to his homeland in 2006 with first the now-defunct Border Reivers and then Edinburgh.

A Scotland player at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 level, he made his international debut in 2003 and was called into the World Cup squad later that year, a feat he would repeat four years later.

Gavin made 17 appearances for Sale Sharks last season, scoring a try against London Wasps at High Wycombe.

Sharks' CEO Mick Hogan said, "It is with regret that we learn that a neck injury has forced Gavin to retire. He has always conducted himself in a most professional manner. We thank him for his services to the club and wish him well for the future."

Source

Exeter Chiefs snap up Junior Poluleuligaga

Cymro — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:50:38 GMT

Quote:

Exeter Chiefs have signed Samoa and Pacific Islanders international scrum-half Junior Poluleuligaga ahead of their first season in the Premiership.

The 29-year-old previously played at Harlequins before his release in 2009.

He told Exeter's website: "It's an exciting time to come to the club and I am determined to repay the faith shown in me by Exeter.

"Exeter is a nice place and the stadium is really impressive. Everybody in the club is ready to step up."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...er/8920679.stm

ESPN Pre-Season Promo

Bullitt — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:36:41 GMT

Silky Skills

Vickerman To Return to Aus

Nick_Thepom — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:23:17 GMT

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225904650623

I always thought Vickerman may return to Australia after his spell at Northampton, looks like he's hoping to get in the Wabbalies WC squad..!