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'Outstanding': Royal Marines put Exeter through pre-season paces
Exeter boss Rob Baxter admitted last season that his Chiefs would be going back to basics in preparation for the 2022/23 season – and that refresh has started with this week’s pre-season visit to the Royal Marines commando training centre at Lympstone. The two-time champions of England failed to reach the Gallagher Premiership playoffs for the first time since 2015 and Baxter has responded by putting his troops into a very different sort of battle ahead of the new season start in September.
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An Exeter statement on their two-day pre-season visit to the Marines read: “Only a select few ever get to wear the coveted Green Beret and become a Royal Marine, but this week Exeter Chiefs were given an insight into the make-up of one of Britain’s elite fighting forces.
“Pre-season is a necessary evil ahead of any new campaign, but the hard work and effort put in ahead of the big kick-off can often be the difference between success and failure. Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter admitted at the end of last season that his squad would be looking to go back to basics in their bid to get back amongst the Gallagher Premiership frontrunners.
“A new rebrand for the Devon club this summer has offered the perfect reason for times of change and this week the Chiefs squad got stuck into life at the nearby Royal Marines commando training centre at Lympstone to ready themselves for seasonal battle.
“Building on the already strong links between the club and the Royal Marines, the squad reported for duty on Monday for the start of two days’ intense training, all of which was aimed at not only testing their physical capabilities but also their mental capabilities, both individually and collectively.
“Day one started with work within the gym and swimming pool, but was then followed by tackling the notorious Bottom Field – a series of commando tests (assault course, 200-metre carry, plus rope regain) all of which are aimed to test the body to its very limit. There was to be no let-up on day two for the Chiefs squad, who again following an early morning gym session at the club were then dispatched to Woodbury Common to undergo the Marines’ endurance course.
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“After an initial two-mile cross-country course through rugged terrain and water obstacles, the squad were then put into teams to run the four miles back to the CTC base with a ladened stretcher. Following a brief respite, which included a leadership talk from RM Major Matt Gray, another swim session followed and then it was onto the last of the training tasks, the strength-sapping mud run in the nearby Exe Estuary. With energy at a premium at this stage, the Chiefs had to dig deep in a series of tasks that included crawling, pushing and carrying through the thick mud.”
Exeter head of strength and conditioning, Mark Twiggs, himself a former Royal Marine, said: “We wanted to test the boys in a different environment and it has been a while since we have come down to CTC and worked with the Marines on something like this. What we have seen from the guys, both individually and collectively, was outstanding and it is sure to set the foundations for what we believe will be a very strong pre-season programme.
“At the same time, I wish to thank Cpt Pete Taylor, Sgt Al Gasson, together with Chief of Staff, Lt Col Tom Evans-Jones, and all the PTIs at the commando training centre for their support throughout the two days. Everyone knows the link between ourselves at the Royal Marines is very strong, but this has merely helped to galvanise that bond even further.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A 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.
1 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 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.
21 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
21 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 commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments