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Exeter Chiefs dominate in final to set out stall for remainder of season

Exeter Women celebrate

Exeter Chiefs last weekend won the inaugural Allianz Cup and set out their stall for the remainder of their second season in the Premier 15s. Taking the cup in front of a home crowd marks the club’s first women’s silverware, and has certainly given fans something to cheer about. After covid restrictions last season, it was spectacular to see Sandy Park packed with supporters – Spanish front row Laura Delgado expressed that ‘it was an honour to defend the jersey in front of such a crowd’.

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Despite Chiefs ultimate dominance, Harlequins looked to be real competitors in the first half. Chiefs put an early score on the visitors, but a yellow for Dutch lock Linde Van Der Velden (along with a penalty try) left the home side looking vulnerable. With a forward down, Exeter still managed to power over the line to take the lead before some loose passing out wide allowed Lagi Tuima an intercept and 40 metre run in, leaving Chiefs just two points ahead at the break.

The second half was a different story, with the Chiefs shutting out Quins and scoring a massive seven tries to take the final score to 57 – 12 in front of more than 2000 fans, the largest crowd ever to attend a women’s club match in Devon. Chiefs showed themselves to be an impressively physical outfit, with Steve Salvin’s impact as forward coach felt in the maul tries. Van Der Velden notes that Salvin’s coaching has ‘built on the foundations of last year…we have seen a shift toward real detail in the forward pack.’

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Players of Exeter Chiefs Women applauds their fans as they celebrate winning the Allianz Cup after victory in the Allianz Cup Final between Exeter Chiefs Women and Harlequins Women at Sandy Park on April 23, 2022 in Exeter, England. (Photo by Ryan Hiscott – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

When asked what aided the Chiefs dominance, Salvin says ‘it really helped that we kept continuity with the squad. We obviously lost our Irish, Welsh and Scottish players to the Six Nations and our Canadians were away for a period, but the depth of our squad allowed us to put out extremely strong teams. Our form has been on an upward curve and everyone knows their roles, so interchanges are manageable.’

And interchanges there were with Susie Appleby making several amendments to the squad for the final, with four Canadian internationals returning to the bench. McKinley Hunt was the standout addition, with a barnstorming run culminating in some smooth passing to send fellow Canadian Gabby Senft over the line.

Co-captain Kate Zachary comments that the win was ‘not only a huge milestone for the club but a milestone for the players, many of whom experienced their first final…Sandy Park is a special place and the crowd this last week is the largest we have had to date. Having so many fans show up to support truly made an impact on the team, we wanted to win it for those supporters who show up every week’. The back-row forward, nicknamed Captain America by teammates, goes on to say that her favourite moment of the game was the ‘22 metre maul try in the second half. After a tough first half Quins really showed up to play, and the maul was a big momentum swinger’.

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The real question is whether the Chiefs’ cup dominance will continue into the final stretch of the Premier 15s campaign. The Devon side’s international makeup means that few players were lost to the Six Nations, with no Chiefs involved in the senior Red Roses spring campaign. Unlike other teams in the competition, the Chiefs cup team sheet could be almost identical to that of the final rounds of the Premier 15s. Whether the dominant cup performances translate into the business end of the season remains to be seen.

After a rare smile at the cup win, Salvin notes that ‘we have two extremely tough league fixtures left against the top two teams, and we hope to be competing in the end of season playoffs. Injuries permitting, we have a full squad to select from which gives us some good headaches…we’re going to carry the momentum from the cup into the rest of the season’.

The Chiefs currently sit in third spot in the Premier 15s table, and a semi-final looks likely. Two home games remain against Saracens and Bristol, who sit in first and second place respectively – if the Chiefs can secure wins in one or both games they have the potential to keep their third place spot and so avoid facing Saracens again at the Stonex in what would be an undoubtedly difficult semi-final. If the Chiefs did win the Premier 15s, they would be the first side ever to win both the league and the Allianz Cup.

When asked about plans going into the last stretch, Zachary notes that it is ‘time for some rest and reset, but we’ll be ensuring we are ready to go come May 7th for our game against Saracens. We’re taking it one game at a time!’

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j
john 51 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

14 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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