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[2013/14 HEC] Pool 2, Round 1

Draggs

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Pool Two
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Sandy Park, Exeter (13/10/2013, 12:45 Local Time)

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Stade Felix Mayol, Toulon (13/10/2013, 16:00 Local Time)
 
Lucky Toulon get another pool they should win and get a home tie without too much difficulty for the 2nd year in a row.
 
Chiefs and Cardiff looks tasty. People who take Glasgow for granted usually lose.
 
yeh ok...RCT to win all matches with no great difficulty....
 
I expect Toulon to come out of this without a loss but I reckon away to Chiefs and Glasgow will have some tense moments.
 
Exeter: P Dollman; M Jess, I Whitten, J Shoemark, F Vainikolo; G Steenson, D Lewis; B Sturgess, C Whitehead, H Tui, D Mumm (capt), D Welch, T Johnson, D Ewers, B White.

Replacements: J Yeandle, B Moon, C Rimmer, D Armand, K Horstmann, H Thomas, H Slade, S Naqelevuki.

Blues: L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert, C Allen, D Hewitt, H Robinson; R Patchell, L Williams; G Jenkins, M Rees (capt), T Filise, B Davies, F Paulo, J Navidi, A Pretorius, S Warburton.


Replacements: M Breeze, S Hobbs, S Andrews, L Reed, R Copeland, L Jones, G Davies, R Smith.


Blues will miss O.Williams as he has been playing very well in the centre. I still think Copeland is by far the Blues best forward as well*, as Pretorious has regressed to an average 6.

Although the Blues have some star players, Exeter are much more of a rounded team at the moment and are in a good vein of form. They are by far favourites on the day and the bookies reflect that at Exeter 1/4 and Cardiff 11/4 to win.

EDIT: * in terms of his form at the moment.
 
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Yeah, surprised Copeland didn't get the nod over Pretorius after his cameo last weekend.
 
I can see this being a depressing game as a Blues fan...
Kick chase is awful, scrum isn't going well and can't touch Exeter on their throw or when they're on the front foot...
And then they get away with blocking Patchell...
 
This is a romp for Exeter................love watching them!!
 
Ah bugger this, I really can't be bothered to sit through yet another God awful display by easily the worst team in Wales, possibly Britain & Ireland too... (maybe even Europe after that loss to Zebre...)
 
Ah bugger this, I really can't be bothered to sit through yet another God awful display by easily the worst team in Wales, possibly Britain & Ireland too... (maybe even Europe after that loss to Zebre...)

Ah come on................would love to see them play Biarritz in a play off for that ***le!!

What are Halfpenny and Warbs thinking about remaining loyal to this lot..........is Davies really any good as a coach?
 
I think the Blues are making a decent Exeter team look outstanding. The defence has been in question all season, especially around the fringes. How this group of players can defend this badly is beyond me.

Exeter are bringing an intensity to the breakdown that is well beyond what the defence can handle at the moment.

Its very disappointing.
 
I don't know if Exeter are better than I thought or Cardiff are worse than I thought.. Some good rugby being played by the Chiefs though
 
Ah come on................would love to see them play Biarritz in a play off for that ***le!!

What are Halfpenny and Warbs thinking about remaining loyal to this lot..........is Davies really any good as a coach?

He's not great. But its more the background team that is the problem. A rugby league defence coach (who apparently isnt so great at union) and currently no skills coach.
 
I think the Blues are making a decent Exeter team look outstanding. The defence has been in question all season, especially around the fringes. How this group of players can defend this badly is beyond me.

Exeter are bringing an intensity to the breakdown that is well beyond what the defence can handle at the moment.

Its very disappointing.

I agree that Exeter are not going to be English or European champions but what I love about them is their intensity, as you say, their work ethic, and their spirit plus they love to play rugby and not just try and survive. I reckon as a team they make the very most of their individual parts and will do well during the International wondows as they will lose so few players during that period unlike many other teams?
 
Ah bugger this, I really can't be bothered to sit through yet another God awful display by easily the worst team in Wales, possibly Britain & Ireland too... (maybe even Europe after that loss to Zebre...)

They are still probably better than the Dragons in fairness.
 
I agree that Exeter are not going to be English or European champions but what I love about them is their intensity, as you say, their work ethic, and their spirit plus they love to play rugby and not just try and survive. I reckon as a team they make the very most of their individual parts and will do well during the International wondows as they will lose so few players during that period unlike many other teams?

I agree, of all the English teams, I have a soft spot for them. Their rise to the HC from where they were is a great rugby story. They play as a team very well and play to their strengths. Their fans are great.

Cardiff are in a very bad place defensively at the moment and are very badly organised. When the score board looks like it does, its easy to get a head of steam and break teams down. Can only hope for a better second half!
 
Something's clearly not right with Cardiff Blues, either the players attitude or the coaching. Put the two starting XVs side by side and there aren't many positions where you'd say Exeter have a better player. This is a humiliation. Fair play to Exeter who aren't taking their foot off the gas. They should easily hit 50 points today. Rob Baxter seems to be a terrific coach who constantly produces teams which are greater than the sum of it's parts.
 
I agree, of all the English teams, I have a soft spot for them. Their rise to the HC from where they were is a great rugby story. They play as a team very well and play to their strengths. Their fans are great.

Cardiff are in a very bad place defensively at the moment and are very badly organised. When the score board looks like it does, its easy to get a head of steam and break teams down. Can only hope for a better second half!

Despite the fact it was us they beat to get promotion I too like Exeter. The last few weeks especially they have been playing good rugby, look great today, looked good last week and could/should have beaten Leicester.
 
Something's clearly not right with Cardiff Blues, either the players attitude or the coaching. Put the two starting XVs side by side and there aren't many positions where you'd say Exeter have a better player. This is a humiliation. Fair play to Exeter who aren't taking their foot off the gas. They should easily hit 50 points today. Rob Baxter seems to be a terrific coach who constantly produces teams which are greater than the sum of it's parts.

As mentioned, there seemed to be a bit of bad feeling with Gareth Baber, who has been forced/ walked away, the current defence coach has come from a rugby league set up and our forwards coach is an ex-player. Weirdly, it isn't for a lack of talented players on the pitch, just the organisation and direction they seem to be getting. Just my opinion of course.
 

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