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'He's coming in his prime': Sale raid Exeter to sign O'Flaherty
Sale have raided Exeter for the second time in three months, adding winger Tom O’Flaherty to their December signing of England second row Jonny Hill. It’s another example of how the reduced salary cap is having a major effect on club rosters for the 2022/23 season and the Sharks will view the recruitment of O’Flaherty as a bit of a coup.
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A Sale statement read: “Sharks are delighted to announce that winger Tom O’Flaherty has signed a long-term contract to join the club ahead of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season. The prolific 27-year-old, who has scored 35 tries in 91 appearances for Exeter Chiefs, has put pen to paper on a three-year deal.
“The former Ospreys star will join Alex Sanderson’s squad at the end of the season. Tom grew up in London and played his rugby for Dulwich College and then Blackheath before moving to Wales to study at Cardiff University.
“He joined Cardiff RFC in 2013, playing four times and scoring four tries, before moving to Bridgend, ahead of the 2014/15 season. He spent time in France, combining a university placement with playing in Top 14 side Montpellier’s academy, but returned to Wales for the final year of his studies, taking up joint registration with Bridgend and the Ospreys.
“O’Flaherty joined Exeter Chiefs in the summer ahead of the 2017/18 Premiership season and has gone on to make 91 appearances, scoring 175 points.”
'Everyone mucks around in training, you do all sorts of funny skills before and after the sessions but I don’t think I ever practised that.'@ExeterChiefs Tom O'Flaherty steps @heagneyl ??? through his early contender for @premrugby try of the seasonhttps://t.co/5O4oQ6NK8Q
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 6, 2020
Sale boss Alex Sanderson added: “When I sat down with Tom it was clear straight away that he is a brilliant guy who really wants to play for this club. I have no doubt he will bring as much to the club off the field as he will on it. For us, making sure we are bringing in good people is absolutely essential if we are going to create and build the right environment and culture at the club.
“On the field, Tom’s record speaks for itself. He has been a huge part of an Exeter side that has been so successful in recent years and I’m confident he will be a fantastic addition. Tom is 27 years old and he is coming here in his prime, with his very best years ahead of him. It’s a massive boost for the club and it’s a big indication of what we’re all about and where we’re trying to get to.”
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O’Flaherty told the Exeter website: “I have had an amazing five years with the Chiefs, sharing in some unbelievable moments both on and off the field. Since the day I arrived, it has been an awesome journey, but I feel this is the right time in my career to try something new.
“I have been fortunate to be part of a hugely successful club that each year are challenging for honours. Winning the double back in 2020 is obviously the highlight of my time here, but there are so many other memories.
“Leaving the Chiefs was tough, probably one of the toughest decisions I have had to make, but I still have a few months left of my time here and I intend to give everything to the cause to ensure that I go out on a high note. There are some huge games still to play and I want to be part of them all.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments