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'It beggars belief' - Steenson on Simmonds' England snub, retirement and Exeter's naked bus celebrations
Gareth Steenson has been having the time of his life in recent days, Exeter Chiefs wrapping up the delayed 2019/20 season by following up their Heineken Champions Cup final win over Racing with success in the Gallagher Premiership final last Saturday versus Wasps.
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It’s the Devon club’s first-ever league and cup double, the amazing feat achieved just ten years after their initial promotion to the English top flight.
For Steenson, the 36-year-old who joined Exeter in 2008 when they were a Championship outfit, the outrageous success marks the end of his stellar playing career and he is now set to go into coaching.
He does so, though, bemused that Joe Simmonds, the 23-year-old out-half he helped nurture to take over as Exeter’s leading No10, has been snubbed by Eddie Jones for the England squad announced on Monday for the autumn series of Test matches which begin in Rome this Saturday.
Speaking during an appearance on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, Steenson told hosts Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton that he was at a loss as to why Simmonds – and his old brother Sam – were ignored by Jones despite their title-winning contributions at Exeter.
Plenty to chat about in the world of rugby this week as @jimhamilton4 and @AndyGoode10 have their say on Eddie Jones’ 36 man training squad ???????
Give it a watch ?https://t.co/npr63tITLf
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) October 27, 2020
“I really don’t know,” said Steenson. “The improvement we have seen in him [Joe Simmonds] over the last year or so, he is driving those guys, he is driving around British and Irish Lions around the pitch, he is winning doubles, he doesn’t miss kicks at goal, it beggars belief.
“I don’t understand why, or even why Sam is not in the squad either. The guys have performed every week at the top level consistently with the club and that is all you can ask them to do. When they are doing that, that is the only chance they have of getting in, so I’m hoping they get the opportunity at some point.
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“I know Sam has done it [been capped by England in 2018] but for Joe, he is somebody who is going to push Exeter Chiefs on and this was just the start of him hopefully winning a few big trophies with the club.”
Steenson was speaking after a hectic few days of celebrations following the nerve-wracking win over Wasps, a triumph that resulted in Exeter leaving their hair down in trademark Chiefs fashion. “There was a wee bit of no clothes on at some point, a bit of a sing-song on the way home and stuff. It was really good fun, really special,” he admitted following a final where for the second Saturday in succession he was an unused replacement.
“I’d love to have got on the field but I was just so happy that we had won the game because it was so tight. It could have gone either way… it was sheer relief. The only thing that could have happened was if I had come on and maybe missed a tackle or something and conceded a try. It was definitely hard to watch,” he said, adding that he can’t imagine putting on the boots again.
“My time is done. You’d have to be really, really scraping the bottom of the barrel for me to come back out and play again. You never say never but just now, the way I feel physically, the end that I had, you can’t ask for a better end. I’m pretty happy with what I have achieved and I could definitely go into retirement a very happy man.”
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"The Exeter changing room is a unique place, it was like no other changing room"
– @Toottankwaldrom takes @heagneyl ??? on a colourful trip down memory lane, explaining what makes @ExeterChiefs tick – and it's not just the rugby ? ??https://t.co/kVnf81qsIy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 24, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments