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'Phenomenal' - Exeter Chiefs' Ali Hepher hails former British and Irish Lions winger Alex Cutbert
Exeter Chiefs’ assistant coach Ali Hepher praised the performances of former Wales wing Alex Cuthbert, whose excellent solo try was the highlight of Chiefs’ 26-3 win over London Irish at Sandy Park.
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Playing with the advantage of a keen wind, Exeter had been held to a 14-3 scoreline at the interval but three minutes after the restart, Cuthbert powered away to brush aside defenders on a 35-metre run to the line before being replaced.
Round 8: Powers past Falcons defence ?
Round 9: Slices through Irish defence ??Alex Cuthbert doing bits for @ExeterChiefs on his return from injury! ???????#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/kCDeUHvF0r
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) February 13, 2021
Sam Simmonds scored two of Exeter’s tries to take his tally 11 for the season, with flanker Dave Ewers also on the scoresheet. Joe Simmonds converted two and Harvey Skinner one, while a penalty from Paddy Jackson was London Irish’s sole response.
Hepher said: “You can see what a phenomenal player Alex is and he is everything you would want from a winger.
“After being out for so long with injury, he’s been remarkable in the last two games and his try was the defining moment of the match.
“We need to look after him and get as many minutes on the pitch as we can from him, so we took him off as a precautionary measure as his back was tightening up.”
It was Exeter’s third consecutive win as they moved within one point of Bristol at the top of the Premiership table with nine rounds completed.
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Two more tries for Sam Simmonds but brother Joe left in a heap#GallagherPrem #EXEvLIRhttps://t.co/kH3qDauEkN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 13, 2021
Hepher said: “We have had to fight hard in the last three weeks to beat some tough sides. It was again a hard-fought win today but it was important that we picked up a bonus point to keep the pressure on Bristol as we have left a few behind this season.
“We probably were a try short at the interval but we had put a lot of effort into the first half to build a foundation and there wasn’t any panic as we know how to play into the win by keeping the ball.”
Irish’s director of rugby Declan Kidney urged his team to learn from the game.
“Exeter gave us a beating today and we know we have to improve quickly,” he said, “If we don’t, the result will be the same against Bristol next week.
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“We will have to work on certain areas and it didn’t help that we had a lot of injuries which caused disruption, but that’s part and parcel of the game and we needed to work round it.”
Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
11 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.
54 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.
3 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 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.
54 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.
54 Go to comments