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Exeter remain upbeat despite injury losses
Exeter’s Premiership title tilt has suffered a blow as forwards Sam Simmonds and Jonny Hill are set for lengthy spells on the sidelines. Simmonds injured his knee in last weekend’s 28-11 victory against Worcester, while Hill has suffered a hand ligament injury. Director of rugby Rob Baxter delivered a pretty glum assessment of their respective conditions, and they will be sorely missed when Leinster visit for their Champions Cup opener next week.
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“It’s a little bit early to say how bad they are at the moment,” said Baxter. “Hopefully, they will be back before the end of the season, but I can’t really say at this stage.” That is pretty worrying for fans, particularly when you consider the rich vein of form that Simmonds has been mining. The 23-year-old England back-row finished as the joint-highest try scorer in the Premiership last season, and he has already crossed for five so far this season. Meanwhile, Hill has just broken into the England set-up and he is a vital presence in the second row.
Yet if you check out a review of betting sites and find the best odds available, you will see that Exeter are still the second favourites to win the Premiership. They were 2016/17 champions and they finished top of the table last time around, then thrashed Newcastle in the semis, but lost the final to Saracens. This time around Saracens are the even money favourites to win the title, but Exeter are not far behind at just 2/1, while the next team, Wasps are all the way out at 10/1. Like many pundits, the bookmakers expect this season’s Premiership to turn into a two-horsed race, with Exeter and Saracens set for another epic final showdown.
After losing to Exeter on Saturday, Warriors director of rugby Alan Solomons said: “Exeter fully deserved to win. They and Saracens are ahead of the rest. The league is a two-horse race.” Exeter have already vanquished Wasps and Newcastle on the road this season, and they have picked up strong home wins against Leicester, Sale and Worcester. The Leicester game in particular was an utter thrashing, and confidence remains high among the camp.
Baxter also contradicted himself with a more upbeat comment regarding the health of Simmonds and Hill. “You’ve just got to deal with these things, they happen, and use it to get the guys fit in every other area,” he said. “Both Sam and Jonny can develop other areas of their physique and elements they want to keep working on in their programmes anyway, so we’ve just got to get them back fit as soon as we can and move on. They’re both good players and both have a significant part to play in the rest of the season. It’s a long old season and it’ll be amazing how quick they’ll be back in the Exeter shirt.”
That is a far more optimistic assessment. It really is a long old season, and Exeter just need to hang in there around the top before welcoming that duo back into the fold. Every team will have injury problems, and they need to bring in reliable squad players to help out. Saracens are understandably still the favourites to win the trophy this season, as they too have won five on the bounce to storm to the top of the table.
Baxter has also sought to deflect away any talk of Exeter seizing glory this season. “I’m very pleased to win and with the foundation that we have laid down but we are not firing at 100 per cent and I’m concerned that we won’t be able to shake out of that lethargy when we’re challenged by the best,” he said. The Leinster game will be a great barometer of how well-equipped Exeter are to challenge for honours this season, particularly with Simmonds and Hill missing, but Baxter is a hard taskmaster and his constant demands for improvement could help them return to the summit of the game.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments