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'Anyone know which team just won the double?' - Fans react to Exeter Chiefs England snubbing
Exeter Chiefs may have secured a historic European and domestic double over the past two weeks, but that has not been enough for some of their players to curry favour with England head coach Eddie Jones.
The national squad for the remainder of the Guinness Six Nations and Autumn Nations Cup was announced on Monday, and only three Chiefs have made the 36-man contingent.
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Man of the match in the Gallagher Premiership final on Saturday Henry Slade’s place in the squad was never in doubt, but the selection of Harry Williams and Jonny Hill is a just reward for the dominance Rob Baxter’s side have shown up front.
The 18-cap tighthead Williams could win his first cap in over a year, while the uncapped Hill has been touted as one of George Kruis’ successors in the second-row in white since it was announced the former Saracen was heading to Japan.
These selections are perhaps overshadowed by the non-selections however. The Simmonds brothers’ absence is the most glaring and questionable decision by Jones.
Andy Goode has not been the only person online to ponder what more either of them can do, and while that is a cliché that is possibly bandied about too often, it is apposite in this situation.
By simply looking at each player’s CV this season, they make a compelling case to be selected. The 23-year-old Joe has led the team to the double in the No10 shirt, while Sam was crowned European Rugby Player of the Year.
https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/1320691093202214914?s=20
Of course, receiving that individual honour does not guarantee England selection, as Alex Goode found out last year. In fact, since it was established in 2010, seven of the eleven POTYs have been English, but only two, Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell, were not pariahs of the team, albeit Jonny Wilkinson, Steffon Armitage and Nick Abendanon were all based in France.
Exeter fans are bemoaning Jones’ perceived predilection to favour clubs elsewhere in England. Fellow Premiership finalists Wasps saw four players called up after the weekend, with the uncapped fly-half Jacob Umaga and flanker Jack Willis being chosen alongside Joe Launchbury and Dan Robson.
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Umaga has effectively beaten Joe Simmonds to the final No10 berth in the squad, while Willis has beaten Sam Simmonds. However, there would have equally been as much of an outcry had the Wasps flanker failed to make Jones’ cut after the season he has had.
Had England regulars Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jack Nowell not been injured, it is likely that five members of the Chiefs squad would be playing this autumn, which may have provided a better reflection of the Devonian side’s success.
Jones has never been one to kowtow to the fans’ demands though, and this is not the first time he has left swathes of people pulling their hair out. He has stood strong in the face of an avalanche of criticism in the past, but his record speaks for itself.
Sam, who won the last of his seven caps in March 2018, is just another player that is still to convince Jones since recovering from his ACL injury last year.
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He is not the only in-demand player to miss out on being one of the seven back row options for England, as Harlequins’ Alex Dombrandt is another peripheral member of the set-up that has been overlooked.
Some may have had an inkling that there would be shocking omissions, but recent history obviously paints Exeter in a very good light, which is why some of Jones’ decisions have received such a backlash in the south-west.
Why aren't the Symonds brothers selected? I think Eddie has lost the plot if they don't get their chance during autumn series. How come there's more wasps players than Exe?
— Jon Peter Tomlin (@BigglesHound94) October 26, 2020
https://twitter.com/Lobby_Hodder/status/1320702451142565888?s=20
What more do the simmonds brother have to do??? #joke #comeoneddie
— Richard Thompson (@thomo2703) October 26, 2020
Well done @_jonnyhill – no mean feat getting in Eddie’s line up whilst being a Chief – go well!!
— RuckinRugby (@RuckinRugby) October 26, 2020
No place for the European Player of the year or a domestic & European double winning captain. Right……… #Clueless
— @ ?????? (@shakey18) October 26, 2020
Anyone know which team just won the double? Can’t work it out from this latest England squad ?
— Callum ? ? (@CallumCouch) October 26, 2020
is that said though gritted teeth?! congrats to the guys who well deserve to be there, but what on earth do @joesimmo10 and @samsimmonds_ have to do?! enjoy the rest boys, we’ll be pleased to have you playing for the #chiefs
— peter (@lovepeterlove) October 26, 2020
Eddie Jones doesnt like or rate Exeter. He only has eyes for Sarries. Such a muppet.
Well done Exeter.— Steg (@StegStegy) October 26, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
1 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to comments