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'Literally walking the corridor growling at people': How Exeter's 4 Lions are preparing
Exeter have backed their four-strong contingent to hit the ground running when they join up for the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa following this Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final versus Harlequins. Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill, Sam Simmonds and Stuart Hogg are the remaining four players who have yet to link up with Warren Gatland’s squad who are playing Japan at Murrayfield a couple of hours before Exeter will look to successfully defend their English league title.
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The progress of Exeter to the business end of the Premiership season will see their players having to play catch up on their fellow Lions. Gatland had 25 players with him on the Channel Island of Jersey when training for the tour commenced on June 14 and another eight were present for training at the start of this week.
It suggests the Exeter contingent will be at a disadvantage when they fly out with the Lions on Sunday to South Africa having two weeks and a week to make up on the players who have been with Gatland preparing to play the Japanese.
However, Chiefs boss Rob Baxter reckons his players are all ready to muck in and will enjoy a successful tour despite Hill taking some time to properly get his head around his May 6 inclusion in the squad and the awkward situation Hogg finds himself in having been demoted to the bench for last week’s semi-final, a position he is likely to occupy again versus Harlequins unless there is an injury in the back three.
“They have all been slightly different because they are not the same person,” said Baxter, explaining the different reactions of the four players to their Lions selection seven weeks ago. “They have all been a bit different in how they have dealt with it. Jonny Hill probably took a little while but he has been great in the last two, three weeks so I think he maybe took a little while to get his head around how he had to progress now, what had to happen before he went away.
"He has put himself right back in the shop window with that performance…"
– This is how good Exeter believe fit-again Jack Nowell was last weekend on his latest return #LionsRugby #EXEvHAR #GallagherPremFinal
https://t.co/idFu4l1vuS— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 23, 2021
“Sam with the try-scoring and his huge involvement in the team and not being away internationally has probably been able to just lockdown, to zone down a bit easier than the rest of the guys in a way. Luke Cowan-Dickie is just an amazing individual who has just wanted to be on the field more and more and wanted to prove that it is Exeter first and he is going to be the guy on the field and he is going to make things happen so for him, I haven’t had to say a word to him.
“He is literally walking around the corridor growling at people if they are not getting out to training on time and telling everyone to get on with it and let’s get out there and win a trophy. And Stuart had dealt with it in a slightly different way, that it has happened for him on the back of being Scotland captain, on the back of coming here in his first season winning the double.
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“They have all dealt with it in slightly different ways but they have all been through it and they will all be fantastic for the Lions. I have got no doubts about that. I watch them in training, I watch them getting ready to go,” continued Baxter, who has also touted 2017 tour pick Jack Nowell for a mid-tour call up if an injury occurs.
“There is nothing they need to be concerned about when they join up with the Lions because if anything this [the Premiership final] is the absolute best preparation they can get, as tough a game as you can get. In a week’s time, they are going to be absolutely ready to go. They can have their rest after the Lions. They don’t need it now. They are ready to go, they’re flying.”
It's an awkward time for the potential Lions No15 Test starter after getting benched by his Premiership club#LionsRugby #EXEvHAR #GallagherPremFinal
https://t.co/g7JgNmGmgQ— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 23, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments