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'It took my breath away' - Exeter Chiefs Rob Baxter named personality of the year by rugby writers' club
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter has been voted the Rugby Union Writers’ Club personality of the year for 2020.
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Baxter succeeds South Africa’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi as holder of the Pat Marshall Memorial Award after masterminding the Chiefs’ Gallagher Premiership and European Champions Cup double last season.
The 49-year-old Devonian guided Exeter into the English top flight in 2010 and the club has built throughout the last decade, culminating in their final victories over Racing 92 and Wasps on successive weekends in October.
Baxter follows in the footsteps of previous greats to have been acclaimed by the RUWC such as Gareth Edwards, Jonah Lomu, Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jonny Wilkinson and Dan Carter, admitting “I feel in exalted company”.
The list of nominees in contention for 2020 also included referee centurion Nigel Owens, Pacific Islands rugby campaigner Dan Leo, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and France scrum-half Antoine Dupont.
Baxter, who came out on top of a poll of the RUWC’s 250-plus members encompassing writers, photographers and broadcasters, was presented with the award at Sandy Park after the club’s annual dinner was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic
“Looking at some of the names who have been awarded this previously, I have to say I feel in exalted company,” Baxter said.
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“I don’t mind telling you it took my breath away when I was looking at the various people who have won this in the past – not just household names but world famous names. It’s a huge honour.
“I have to thank everybody at the club who has helped me on the path to the double championship we won last year and who has been a huge part in the success of Exeter.
“I’m the guy lucky enough to pick up a very prestigious award for the hard work of a lot of people.
“It’s a shame to have missed the rugby writers’ dinner – I’ve been told it’s a remarkable event! – but with the times as they are, we are all doing our best to see the positives in everything. I’d just like to thank everybody involved for voting for me to win this award.”
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"At the end of a tough training block, it was just a shame it ended the way it did and that was my last sort of moment being involved with England"
– Mike Brown has revisited events in Italy 17 months ago when he clashed with Ben Te'o ??????? https://t.co/kxtZAM8347
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 21, 2021
Exeter became the fourth English club after Leicester, Wasps and Saracens to complete the double.
“It was an incredible year. It was a broken up and odd year, so different to anything else we’ve experienced in rugby,” Baxter said.
“After the restart we turned up like a team with something to prove and something to win. We showed that right through and we never wavered. We put in some outstanding performances.
“When you add it all up, it was an incredible few months. The end felt separate from the start, two seasons rolled into one.
“The first part of the season gave us an opportunity, the second part was all about taking it. That’s why it was such a remarkable season.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“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.
22 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
3 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.
2 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 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)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments