Rob Baxter accepts Exeter must now back up their talk about Saracens' salary cap on the pitch
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has described Sunday’s visit of Gallagher Premiership champions Saracens to Sandy Park as the perfect fixture for the Chiefs to finish 2019.
The two clubs fought out a classic final last June and Chiefs have since been most vocal about how the London club conducts its business, coach Baxter and club owner Tony Rowe being two of Saracens’ biggest critics in the wake of the salary cap scandal that saw them fined £5.4million and deducted 35 league points.
Baxter’s side comes into this latest meeting sitting on top of the table following last weekend’s victory over Leicester Tigers, while Saracens sit rock bottom due to their points deduction – a situation sure to provide plenty of motivation for both camps.
“We’re top of the league right now and had Saracens not had the points deduction, they themselves would be in and around the top too,” said Baxter. “They have got a very talented squad, who are always tough to beat. They have a different motivation right here and now to other years, so it’s going to be an interesting challenge for us.
“Every game challenges you in different ways, just as every competition challenges you in different ways. For obvious reasons, Saracens are coming here desperate to collect points. We have been straight-forward in our thoughts about the salary cap situation, so that’s not going to be a de-motivator for them, I’m aware of that.
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“That said, we have been in situations where they have knocked us off in a couple of finals now and we would like to put that record straight. As I said, there is a lot of motivation for both sides, so it should lead to a fantastic game.
“This is a fantastic game to finish the year with,” he added ahead of the sold-out fixture. “If you were to ask our supporters who would they like to face over the Christmas period, they would probably pick Saracens,
“It is fortunate this fixture has dropped when we are going okay and at the right end of the table, showing some really good form. Last week we managed to get some rest into a few of the guys, but now we have to go into this weekend in the only way we know-how, which is to go flat out, all guns blazing, and look to get something out of the game.
“If this is upheld it’s pretty obvious those titles have been won unfairly,” Baxter said at the season-launch of the @ChampionsCup in Cardiff.https://t.co/RgVjsekti4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 6, 2019
“Last week’s win (at Leicester) showed a lot of very good qualities, some of which you can’t teach the players. What you can do, however, is encourage it from the bottom right to the top. You can encourage that belief in each other and that desire to fight for each other. As coaches, it’s up to us to give the players a way to foster all of that – and that’s what we showed in abundance at the weekend.”
Baxter has recalled many of those frontline stars who were given last weekend off. Back into the pack come England duo Alec Hepburn and Luke Cowan-Dickie in the front row, as well as Dave Dennis, Dave Ewers and free-scoring No8 Sam Simmonds.
? What a decade it has been in the #GallagherPrem ?@Saracens' titles ??? @SaintsRugby in 2014 ?@rwiggy9 record breaker ?
Take some time to reminisce ??
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 27, 2019
Behind them, Nic White and Joe Simmonds return at half-back, while Henry Slade’s leg injury means Ian Whitten reverts to midfield alongside Devoto with Jack Nowell restored on the right wing.
Billy Vunipola, meanwhile, will feature in a Saracens back row with one change from last weekend’s victory over Bristol Bears. Long-serving Jackson Wray returns to the starting XV at openside flanker with young Nick Isiekwe completing the trio on the blindside. The front row of Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Vincent Koch remains the same while there is an alteration in the boiler which sees Will Skelton selected alongside Maro Itoje.
Scotland international Duncan Taylor comes into the centre to partner Brad Barritt for the only amendment to the backline. Max Malins keeps his place at full-back following two tries and a man-of-the-match display against Bristol and will link up with Sean Maitland and Elliot Daly once again in the back three. The half-backs are Ben Spencer and Owen Farrell.
EXETER: 15. Stuart Hogg; 14. Jack Nowell, 13. Ian Whitten, 12. Ollie Devoto, 11. Olly Woodburn; 10. Joe Simmonds, 9. Nic White; 1. Alec Hepburn, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Harry Williams, 4. Dave Dennis (capt), 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Dave Ewers, 7. Jacques Vermeulen, 8. Sam Simmonds. Reps: 16. Elvis Taione, 17. Ben Moon, 18. Enrique Pieretto, 19. Jannes Kirsten, 20. Don Armand, 21. Jack Maunder, 22. Gareth Steenson, 23. Sam Hill.
SARACENS: 15. Max Malins; 14. Sean Maitland, 13. Duncan Taylor, 12. Brad Barritt (capt), 11. Elliot Daly; 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Ben Spencer; 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Jamie George, 3. Vincent Koch, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Will Skelton, 6. Nick Isiekwe, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola. Reps: 16. Jack Singleton, 17. Rhys Carre, 18. Titi Lamositele, 19. George Kruis, 20. Ben Earl, 21. Richard Wigglesworth, 22. Alex Lozowski, 23. Nick Tompkins.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments