Analysis: The Exeter Chiefs have invented rugby's newest attacking structure that might double the size of coaching playbooks
Rob Baxter’s machine keeps on moving forward, finishing as the Premiership’s top side after the regular season with a 17-5 record. Whilst the final quarter to their season was a bit scratchy with up-and-down results, they have proved to still be the only genuine threat to Saracens over the course of the year.
They have maintained their status as one of the Premiership’s top two sides in part by continuing to innovate, changing not only the parts in the system but the system itself.
The Chiefs have a roster largely still constructed around players from the 2016-17 Premiership side, but have filtered in key pieces like Nic White, Matt Kvesic, Sam Simmonds, and Santiago Cordero over the last couple of seasons.
Whilst it would be tempting to plug those pieces into a system that has been proven, the pace of change and copycat nature of professional sport means that widespread adoption becomes the norm pretty quickly. What was unique yesterday is everywhere today. Most teams employ the similar phase play structure the Chiefs have used with great success over the last few years, although each team has varying degrees of execution.
To stay at the top you have to evolve, be prepared to change before you become outdated. So, what have the Exeter Chiefs done to evolve?
Vertical Pods
Modern-day phase play structures have become multi-layered formations, generally around horizontal pods of three or two at the first level, utilising backs as receivers in behind in the second level.
This is a typical second phase set-up going the same way using a two-man pod with a midfielder in behind that has become the modus operandi of many pro teams across the globe.
The Chiefs have started running vertical pods during phase play, or stacks, often only seen on midfield scrum plays with backs.
The two-man pod is vertically aligned in a stack with Matt Kvesic at the front and Don Armand in behind. Once midfielder Ollie Devoto (12) starts his line, it briefly becomes a three-man vertical formation.
Using stacks is a way to create pre-play misalignment with defenders. It immediately forces the defence into ‘zone’ type coverage, where they have to decide which man to take on the run without knowing beforehand which man is theirs.
It often results in defenders moving laterally to chase runners as they never have original front-on alignment. The one man who does have alignment has to decide which guy he will ultimately take and can be manipulated to move off his spot.
To illustrate this, consider this play below. If the first man in the stack runs a bounce line to the outside, it could have the desired effect of ‘pulling’ the man aligned with him wider, opening up the hole for the second forward Don Armand behind him running straight.
If Joe Simmonds (10) is able to play late at the line and commit his aligned defender, Armand will go straight through.
This time Kvesic is used running straight but we see Saints midfielder Rory Hutchinson (13) biting in on the second forward in the stack.
Armand was able to attract a defender laterally inward, creating an opportunity out the back for Ollie Devoto (12) and Henry Slade (13) to attack the edge. If Simmonds held the ball longer he may have been able to play Devoto out the back and utilise the 3-on-2 overlap.
Hutchinson began the phase aligned to no one due to Armond lining up behind his own player, so had to make a decision to move laterally to make a tackle, becoming susceptible to manipulation.
Concentrating a high number of players in short space can be used to ‘flood’ one area and create gaps, which is what the Chiefs are doing here with stacks instead of normal pods.
Exeter is one of the first teams, if not the first, to actively install ‘stacks’ in their phase play patterns everywhere across the park to blur the picture the defence is seeing, and create a new problem for the defence to solve on each phase.
This is another stack, this time running off 9. They run a screen pass to play the second forward Kvesic out the back but the pass is a little off from the halfback. They are then looking to work in winger Jack Nowell (14) and Devoto (12) off Kvesic.
Against Leicester, Exeter used this stack variation to slice the Tigers in half with England centre Henry Slade.
Instead of two forwards in the stack, Slade slides in as the second man as a change-up, with Devoto still in the back as we have seen previously.
Simmonds takes it to the line he engages his defender and the defensive smarts of Leicester’s forwards are about to tested.
Exeter’s hooker Jack Yeandle runs an ‘unders’ line on lock Will Spencer, drawing a bad read and contact as Spencer clocks him well after Slade receives the ball out the back running a rocket line up the middle.
With Leicester’s next defender Brendon O’Connor isolated in no man’s land, Slade explodes through the hole into the Tigers’ backfield.
Slade attempts to run around the fullback before linking up with Devoto to finish off the long-range strike, a beautifully constructed play out of this new shape.
Exeter’s execution with ball-in-hand hasn’t been as clinical at times lately, resulting in mixed results with this new idea, but this I-formation stack attack in phase play is one of the more groundbreaking progressions of the year for modern rugby structures.
To add in pre-play disguises like stacks during phase play requires strict organisation, precision and high work rates. The speed of the recycle is as quick as it has ever been, so to add this extra layer of complexity is going to take time to completely nail down, but has the potential to evolve modern attacking structures once again.
Exeter have been floating between these vertical stack formations for pods and regular pods of late, offering variation to their width game and two operating systems to break down the defence with. The playbook may double in size if vertical pods become used half the time.
Exeter does have other tools at their disposable, namely scrum dominance and forward play inside the 22, which has been responsible for creating the bulk of the scoring opportunities when they haven’t been clicking.
The closer they get to the try line, the more narrow they become. It is misguided to say the Chiefs are all about ball movement and innovative schemes. That is certainly true in the middle third of the field, but they also rely heavily on their pack to maul and bully there way over to finish drives in prime attacking position inside the 22.
However, the Chiefs have shown a willingness to try new schemes, finding the balance between old school grit and innovative new plays. This one may have just opened up a can of worms, sparking the next wave of attacking structures.
Sam Warburton on Wales’ World Cup chances:
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments