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This is my 23 for next week. I don't think the backline lost us the game yesterday and I would say their potency in attack is enough to keep it intact. Mako was the only front rower to emerge with credit despite his farcical sin binning. Itoje gave away stupid penalties at key moments but his...

Chiefs injuries - James Short Michele Campagnaro Ollie Devoto Sam Hill Alec Hepburn Luke Cowan-Dickie Dave Dennis Dave Ewers Thomas Waldrom

Ewers is listed as 1.93 m (6 ft 4) and 128 kg (just over 20 stone), which is huge, and if anything he looks to have put on mass in the last year. Bear in mind that Billy Vunipola is listed as 1.88 m (6 ft 2) and 126 kg (19 stone 12). Simmonds is 1.83 m (6 ft) and somewhere around 100 kg (16...

Pretty decent 23 although I would argue that 4-8 is fairly lightweight, apart from Ewers obviously. I know Dennis and Armand are big guys but they are pretty athletic and lack the sheer bulk of someone like Lees. If Simmonds and Kvesic are on at the same time then it would make a very pacey and...

Giving Maunder more game time was the rationale behind what I was saying. With the signing of Nic White, the return of Chudley, Stu Townsend playing his boots off, and Maunder being internationally recognised, there is a real bottleneck in this position. I think it would be a real shame for...

Alright mate. As you were, then. I can't disagree with any of that. I would say that, although they can all jump, having a decent lineout jumper in the back row helps hugely. Saying that, I would like to see Armand at lock and I think Dennis plays much better in that position. I'm hoping to...

The "or otherwise" bit demonstrates that the competition he plays in was not the main thrust of what I was saying. Whether he plays in the Championship for a season like Townsend or even the Mitre 10 like Nathan Earle makes little difference as long as he is getting the gametime and experience...

He's still club captain as far as I know. Yeandle's real strength was his consistency and ability to do everything at a decent level. Recently his throwing has been abysmal and given how crucial lineouts are to Exeter's game plan (and the departure of Parling), I think this needs to improve...

It's interesting, I'm not sure if NZ domestic teams go for this option but it seems the AB's do with a monster 6 (Kaino) and tall, skillful pacy 8 (Read). Over here, and in most other places thinking about it, it seems we mostly do the opposite. It was an ill informed, and largely irrelevant...

The Henry Slade discussion has been going on for a long time in the Chiefs forums. For what it's worth, this is my view on the matter (posted by me on another forum). "My opinion is that Slade is and always has been a fly half. Because of Steensons' form and Slades' obvious abilities, Slade...

CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE GLOUCESTER 15 Jack Nowell 14 Olly Woodburn 13 Ian Whitten 12 Ollie Devoto 11 James Short 10 Gareth Steenson (capt) 9 Stuart Townsend 1 Ben Moon 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie 3 Harry Williams 4 Ollie Atkins 5 Geoff Parling 6 Dave Dennis 7 Julian Salvi 8 Kai Horstmann 16...

Slade hasn't been named in the Chiefs team for the weekend so presumably he will step in if Farrell can't play. Rather than put Teo in at 12, I would rather see Slade start at 12 as a like for like replacement. Teo is a good player but he has a very different skillset. Starting Slade would mean...

Bear in mind these statistics will be skewed by the fact that the straightforward kicks are taken by the incumbent 10 Steenson, provided he is on the field. When kicks are 40m plus, Slade is given the tee. If Slade was taking all types of kicks week in week out, we would get a better indication...

He has played 10 enough to keep things running well in this team should the unlikely event occur that both Ford and Farrell go down injured. His kicking and distribution are second to none and the when he does run out at, or switch to, ten, he maintains a cool head and controls the game well...

I would say the top 3 hookers in England are George, Taylor and Cowan-Dickie in no particular order. All have their strengths and weaknesses but all 3 are miles ahead of Hartley and Owens. I haven't seen enough of Scannell to say but I've seen Best throughly outplayed by Cowan-Dickie in the ECC...

If Farrell is crocked (by the sounds of things, he should be fine by Saturday) surely Slade will get called up over Lozowski. He has trained with the team most of the way through, knows the plays and can step right in. A backline with Ford and Slade at 10 and 12 would be a nightmare to defend...

To be fair to Slade, he only gets handed the tee for the awkward or long range kicks that Steenson doesn't fancy, and this will skew his stats. If he was first choice 10 and/or kicker then we would see what his kicking ability really is. There seems to be a general opinion here that England...

Every week Slade has been retained as part of a 24 man squad and then dropped at the last minute. This could have affected his form but he played out of his skin (at 12 and then 10 getting the Exe backline moving as well as I've seen it) after being drafted into the Exe team against Wuss last...

That looks good to be fair, although if there is no 2nd 5 type at 12 (Farrell or Slade) then I would argue putting Daly at 15 for his boot. Perhaps I'm being unfair about May, I haven't seen a lot of him this year so maybe I'm just going from longstanding criticisms (perpetuated by yesterday). I...

I think Johnny May looked out of his depth yesterday. I'm still not convinced about what he brings apart from running really fast. He isn't a strong defender, he isn't a strong carrier and he still runs sideways into nothing. For me, you need more than speed at this level. Echoing what others...