1
'I've every confidence everyone on the pitch in the final will be Covid-free and there won't be any danger to anybody'
Double-chasing Exeter boss Rob Baxter has outlined his relief that the two best teams in England will go head-to-head in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final after the threat of Wasps having to forfeit was removed following the latest round of coronavirus testing.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Coventry-based club had suffered eleven positive tests for the virus in recent testing, putting their participation in the showpiece final in doubt. It meant third-place Bristol were on stand-by to fill in if Wasps failed to pitch up healthy.
However, the issue has now been settled after Wasps were given the go-ahead following the latest round of testing to play in the final at Twickenham, a development that has pleased Baxter – even though it left Exeter waiting until three days before the final before having the identity of their opponents confirmed.
“It’s good news,” said Baxter on Wednesday. “It’s the news most people wanted, that the two semi-final winners would come through. We ourselves had our (Covid testing) all-clear this morning as well, completely negative right across the board, so that’s fantastic for us.
“With the concern over the Wasps situation we were concerned with ourselves making sure we came through it. We anticipated we would be (clear). We haven’t had any issues with testing so far so we anticipated we would be (clear) and that has been the case.
Confirmation: IT'S STILL ON ?@WaspsRugby are good to go against @ExeterChiefs on Saturday ?
With all the drama this week who are you backing to win the #GallagherPremFinal now??
More info ?? https://t.co/G7Hoz0u76C pic.twitter.com/YUQ9ZIu911
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) October 21, 2020
“And it was great to have a message from Lee (Blackett, the Wasps boss) this morning that their testing had gone well. They were hoping for a positive situation with Public Health England which has happened and now we can confirm and get on with things.”
Baxter insisted Exeter head into the showpiece without any fears over the Wasps health situation. “100 per cent. I have had numerous conversations with Lee right through the process. I have got every confidence. Wasps will deem themselves very unlucky.
ADVERTISEMENT
“They are one of the teams that picked up hardly anything at all all the way through and then it was one of those things, right at the business end of the season they have had one little outbreak. I have every confidence they are doing everything correctly and I have every confidence that this is been dealt with and everyone who will be on the pitch in the final will be Covid-free and there won’t be any danger to anybody.”
Exeter had been through the situation before, having to prepare for half of a week not knowing who they would be facing on the following Saturday. It happened in the build-up to their league semi-final versus Bath, who were not confirmed as the opposition until the Wednesday due to an issue with Sale, while it wasn’t until last Wednesday evening that Covid-hit Racing were given the go-ahead to face Exeter in the Champions Cup final that the Chiefs won last Saturday at Bristol.
“Last week the likelihood was that Wasps had contained it and would probably come through,” continued Exeter boss Baxter. “Then the Saturday test showed up what it did and we were at that stage told it was more likely we would end up playing Bristol because the chance of Wasps at that stage getting through a whole round of testing without getting any positives at all was looking rather slim.
“Where we are fortunate is we had a decent bit of time knowing it was going to be Wasps, so a fair bit of the prep for Wasps got done and the rushed prep this week has been preparing in case it was Bristol.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The best prep has been done on Wasps but what we haven’t done on Monday and Tuesday this week is we haven’t pushed too much preparation on either Wasps or Bristol as we didn’t want to create a confusing picture. We have focused very much on ourselves, as we did in semi-final week, and now we will break down the detail on Wasps that we want to get in place.
“The regulations on how games would get played… it was all completely new territory for everybody and actually the rules that got written up have just about dealt with it. They have got us to a final. Let’s face facts, we have a final with the No1 and the No2 seeded team so they [the Premiership’s Covid regulations] have got us there by hook or by crook.
“It’s only ten-and-a-half weeks ago we started this process. We signed up to these rules and regs and said we are going to get the season done. We have all had to get on with it and we have all dealt with it well.
“It would be nice to finish it off with a decent game. Would it have been nice to have this doubt [who Exeter will play] removed earlier in the week? Of course, it would but the scenario we’re living in is there is doubt in everything. I don’t think it is the end of the world for sport to be able to deal with these little things as we go along.”
Quality insight from @SimonZebo on RugbyPass Offload this week to chat through his Heineken Champions Cup Final.
+ Six Nations Preview, Bledisloe and @DylanHartley on how Eddie Jones picked his squad ?
iTunes – https://t.co/RQjBooi39u
Acast – https://t.co/Z9kWpo7Lvy pic.twitter.com/RxOdjDqxgu— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on the @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments