Exeter Chiefs 2018/19

[FLOBALOB]

LCD not signing, Leicester and quins sniffing.
Prob why hes not picked today.
Shame.
yeandle not up to it IMO.

 

[Chief Pete]

LCD not signing, Leicester and quins sniffing.
Prob why hes not picked today.
Shame.
yeandle not up to it IMO.

Gutted...

 

[Quel Carreleur]

We always knew it was going to crunch Exeter soon. No further cap increase, but plenty of players wanting/deserving raises.
It won't be just Exeter either, most consistent are likely to lose some big names (not Sarries of course, they do seem immune to such problems)

 

[Scotty]

LCD not signing, Leicester and quins sniffing.
Prob why hes not picked today.
Shame.
yeandle not up to it IMO.

Terrible news!
No yendle is a very good club player but not first choice, we really need to get looking i wonder whos available for us to sign? Dont think the i want yendle tione innard. Is good enought o win the prem.

 

[Chief Pete]

We always knew it was going to crunch Exeter soon. No further cap increase, but plenty of players wanting/deserving raises.
It won't be just Exeter either, most consistent are likely to lose some big names (not Sarries of course, they do seem immune to such problems)

We've still got the biggest squad in the prem I believe, I'd rather trim the fat and retain our better players but yeah I knew it was coming, technically we have 4 front rowers who when coming to re-negotiating their deals can say they are England internationals even if they are 3rd or 4th choice in their respective positions internationally, there's a big wedge right there, also I've heard £1.6mil has been put a side for Slade and Nowell to cover their contracts over 2 seasons, Hogg's on a reported half a mil a season as a marquee, not sure of the other, factor in Skinner's rise and the likes of Francis, Armand, Ewers, Simmonds, Kvesic etc, something was going to have to give....

 

[Chief Pete]

Terrible news!
No yendle is a very good club player but not first choice, we really need to get looking i wonder whos available for us to sign? Dont think the i want yendle tione innard. Is good enought o win the prem.

If LCD's going because of the cap and he's been deemed expendable then you've got no chance of getting a hooker of that standard as they want the same or similar, if LCD fancies a change of scenery and it's his choice then fair enough, I'm bitterly disappointed but Chiefs go on...

 

[Quel Carreleur]

We've still got the biggest squad in the prem I believe, I'd rather trim the fat and retain our better players but yeah I knew it was coming, technically we have 4 front rowers who when coming to re-negotiating their deals can say they are England internationals even if they are 3rd or 4th choice in their respective positions internationally, there's a big wedge right there, also I've heard £1.6mil has been put a side for Slade and Nowell to cover their contracts over 2 seasons, Hogg's on a reported half a mil a season as a marquee, not sure of the other, factor in Skinner's rise and the likes of Francis, Armand, Ewers, Simmonds, Kvesic etc, something was going to have to give....

As far as I could tell, whilst putting together the squad list and pecking order for all 12 teams together... Bath, Bristol, Quins and Worcester all have larger senior squads, but you command the biggest academy, and the biggest senior+academy squad.

Actually, take out Sale, with their suicidally small squad, and your 1 player above average for senior squad numbers.

 

[Scotty]

Chiefs starting 15 v quins

15 Phil Dollman

14 Tom O’Flaherty

13 Ian Whitten

12 Sam Hill

11 Alex Cuthbert

10 Joe Simmonds

9 Nic White

1 Moray Low

2 Jack Yeandle (capt)

3 Greg Holmes

4 Mitch Lees

5 Dave Dennis

6 Dave Ewers

7 Don Armand

8 Matt Kvesic

They lost to quins who deserved the win but damn we have alot of injuries and rested players, shows our depth.

Chiefs first choice team for comparison.

1 Moon

2 LCD

3 William

4 JHill

5 Skinner

6 Ewers

7 Armand (though kvesics pushing)

8 SSimmonds

9 White

10 Steenson

11 Cordero

12 Devoto

13 Slade

14 Nowell

15 Dollmen

The defference in these teams is alot.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

With the lack of English 12s getting game time , I really interested to see Devoto get a full season under his belt but is he injured again?

I really like Hill when he came on the schene as well but not sure why he hasn’t been looked at.

 

[Triple Exe]

LCD'd be mad to leave right now. He's in one of two clubs not currently in the relegation scrap. Plus moving to Quins? Take your inflated wage and see how long it lasts in Twickenham!

 

[FLOBALOB]

LCD'd be mad to leave right now. He's in one of two clubs not currently in the relegation scrap. Plus moving to Quins? Take your inflated wage and see how long it lasts in Twickenham!

According to Rugby Post this week he has come to his senses and is going to sign a new contract soon.

 

[BPM]

With the lack of English 12s getting game time , I really interested to see Devoto get a full season under his belt but is he injured again?

I really like Hill when he came on the schene as well but not sure why he hasn’t been looked at.

Looked fit enough scoring a try on Friday night

 

[Scotty]

So mid season topping the table and 15 points clear from 3rd.
9 wins 9 TBP
2 losses 2 LBPs

1st on league table
2nd on games won (lost by 2 points and 3 points)
2nd on points scored (5 points behind sarries)
1st on points conceded
1st on points difference
1st on tries scored
1st on tries conceded
1st on TBP
1st on LBP(if you count on available bonus points(2 losses 2 LBPs))

Chiefs have done well especially with injuries and internationals, losing SSimmonds Jhill LCD woodburn white to injury, and Hepburn moon williams skinner slade nowell to internationals.

So it all makes for good reading to a chiefs fan but what do we need to do to stay on track because we are not unbeatable, weve draw 1 and lost 2 in europe and lost 2 prem games. Europe has been dissapointing yet again and i dont know what it is thats holding us back there.

But what are peoples thoughts on the first half of the prem season and what do we need to change over the next 11 rounds to ensure we keep the top spot and have a real chance of winning the grand final this season?

 

[Chief Pete]

Nowell, Slade and LCD sign on for 2 more years each....

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Best news this season

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Slightly gutted that you guys have started playing Nowel at 15 now.....after you’ve signed Hogg.

There’s a lot of people that said they’d like to see him tried at FB for a while. Could have been a long term option there for England.

 

[Scotty]

Slightly gutted that you guys have started playing Nowel at 15 now.....after you’ve signed Hogg.

There’s a lot of people that said they’d like to see him tried at FB for a while. Could have been a long term option there for England.

Also gutted that when we get hogg, he'll be away with scotland and our second choice will be away with england so nowell cant even be a back up for international duty.

 

[Chief Pete]

Slightly gutted that you guys have started playing Nowel at 15 now.....after you’ve signed Hogg.

There’s a lot of people that said they’d like to see him tried at FB for a while. Could have been a long term option there for England.

EJ could still give him a run there, he's tried other's who don't play FB regularly for their clubs and the 6N would be ideal...

 

[Quel Carreleur]

EJ could still give him a run there, he's tried other's who don't play FB regularly for their clubs and the 6N would be ideal...

If only Ant Watson had some gametime at FB. It's a real pity that Bath insist he's a winger and nothing else.
Ah well, well never know.

 

[Chief Pete]

Devoto and Woodburn sign on for a further 2 years and Dollman signs for 1 more giving him 10 years service, great news all round for me...

 

[Chief Pete]

If only Ant Watson had some gametime at FB. It's a real pity that Bath insist he's a winger and nothing else.
Ah well, well never know.

I think once Mike Brown goes the England coach will have to play a club winger at FB unless you go for Woodward at Glos or Sarries have plans to use Daly at FB to replace Goode, specialist English FB's pretty thin IMO...

Are there any specialist English FB's currently playing or coming through who you could say are going to be England's definitive starting FB for the next few years?

 

[BPM]

Yeah - that’s a tough one. Definitely no one that is obvious at the moment.

I think Mallinder is the hope, but that’s dependent upon him learning how to tackle.

 

[Chief Pete]

Witty and Price signed for next season...looks like rumours of Atkins leaving maybe true.

 

[Scotty]

Whats price like? Squad player or pushing first team? Atkins have been decent but never great.

I just hope sam simmonds gets back before the end if the season. Feel bad for him as he never had a chance to push for the WC squad but id take him over shields and hughes when hes fit if he could regain his form.

 

[BPM]

Re. Simmonds, I’d prefer him to Shields or Hughes too, but I don’t think Eddie does so it’s a bit of a moot point anyway.

 

[Scotty]

I wonder post world cup could he make a claim, he is rapid, hell of a workrate, good tackler and great impact player.
He is just different from what we have.

I think it was the 6n game v wales he played where he made 24 tackles and the game v italy where he scored 2 great tries and but nowell in for one.

 

[Scotty]

Depth issue at chiefs?

So
White. Maunder
JSimmonds Steeno
Woodburn. Cuthbert
Devoto. Hill
Slade. Whitten
Nowell. O Flaherty
Cordero. Dollmen

In the second list there arnt really any pushing for that first spot in their respective positions IMO. Who else have we got? Or got coming through? We are a very stong team but we need to develop some depth now we dont habe the luxury of keeping our top players during internationals.


I missed the second half today but gutted cordero is leaving. I do rate hogg but if we could have kept cordero as well thats the bath 3 i wanted to see, nowell cordero hogg.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Depth issue at chiefs?

So
White. Maunder
JSimmonds Steeno
Woodburn. Cuthbert
Devoto. Hill
Slade. Whitten
Nowell. O Flaherty
Cordero. Dollmen

In the second list there arnt really any pushing for that first spot in their respective positions IMO. Who else have we got? Or got coming through? We are a very stong team but we need to develop some depth now we dont habe the luxury of keeping our top players during internationals.


I missed the second half today but gutted cordero is leaving. I do rate hogg but if we could have kept cordero as well thats the bath 3 i wanted to see, nowell cordero hogg.

A little unfair, I’d say Hill and Whitten can both push Devoto for that 12 shirt and I’d say that Steenson is a better 10 option than Simmo.

I really don’t think depth is pour issue at all, I’d actually say it’s our biggest strength. We have by far the largest squad in the Premiership and I really don’t think we have any positions where the 2nd choice player is a massive drop from the first. Our biggest issue is a lack of individual threats; we don’t have enough players who can consistently threaten to break the line and it makes us impotent in attack when our pack is physically matched. We have plenty of strong carriers who can grind out metres, but only a couple of line breakers. Sam Simmonds and Sam Skinner will help that when they return but while Hogg is a clearly a dangerous runner, he’s going to be replacing Cordero who is currently our most threatening runner so that won’t be a huge step up in that regard; if it’s a step up at all. It’s hard because no one in our 1st XV deserves to be dropped but I would like to see us bring in established line breakers.

 

[Scotty]

A little unfair, I’d say Hill and Whitten can both push Devoto for that 12 shirt and I’d say that Steenson is a better 10 option than Simmo.

I really don’t think depth is pour issue at all, I’d actually say it’s our biggest strength. We have by far the largest squad in the Premiership and I really don’t think we have any positions where the 2nd choice player is a massive drop from the first. Our biggest issue is a lack of individual threats; we don’t have enough players who can consistently threaten to break the line and it makes us impotent in attack when our pack is physically matched. We have plenty of strong carriers who can grind out metres, but only a couple of line breakers. Sam Simmonds and Sam Skinner will help that when they return but while Hogg is a clearly a dangerous runner, he’s going to be replacing Cordero who is currently our most threatening runner so that won’t be a huge step up in that regard; if it’s a step up at all. It’s hard because no one in our 1st XV deserves to be dropped but I would like to see us bring in established line breakers.

I only put in the backs as our fwds depth is better. Whitten is 31 dollman is 33 and steeno is 35. Hill is 26 now.


I am talking depth not other issues such as gameplan.