Saying Exeter are boring is rubbish but they need to be more pragmatic to beat Saracens - Andy Goode
This Exeter team is far from boring. In fact, they may have to adapt and be a bit more boring in some people’s eyes if they want to beat Saracens.
I’ve got no idea what would make anyone think they’re boring. Are they joking? They hold onto the ball for over 30 phases at times but that shows enormous skill levels and means their tight five forwards are comfortable on the ball as well.
People used to say Saracens’ kick and chase game was boring as well and they’ve added elements to it as time has gone on and now it’s the Chiefs who are being accused of being boring rather than them, so I think it’s ridiculous.
I think what the Chiefs’ doubters should be pointing to, if there is anything to criticise them for, is the fact that they’ve only won one final and they should have lost that one if Nathan Hughes hadn’t given a silly penalty away with 30 seconds to go when the game was won.
I don’t agree that their possession game is boring to watch at all but I actually think they need to be more boring or probably more pragmatic if they are to beat Saracens and take the trophy back to Devon.
They’ve spent much of this season turning down kicks at goal and going for the corner but they’ll surely have to take more of those opportunities in the final and I think they’re going to have to kick more in open play as well.
They’re going to have to adapt the way they play and take Saracens on at their own game to a certain extent, as well as displaying all the qualities that have led them to finish top of the Premiership table after 22 rounds.
The Exeter back three have got to nullify the threat of the high bombs that are going to be raining down on them and then they have to match Sarries’ physicality. That has to be the starting point.
You rarely see the Saracens back three under pressure. Part of that is because of the ability of Alex Goode, Liam Williams and Sean Maitland but I really do think Nic White and Joe Simmonds, in particular, need to kick more and kick accurately to compete as well as going for territory a bit more than they usually do.
I think the only way to beat Saracens is to manage the space in the middle of the field better. If Exeter can do that and combat Saracens’ power game, then they are in with a chance.
Simmonds will have to prove that he can manage a game up against the master of doing just that in Owen Farrell. He was taken off after 50 minutes in last year’s final and is sure to have learned lessons and be better with another year under his belt so it’ll be intriguing to see how he goes.
The decision not to pick Santiago Cordero, if he’s fit as he’s believed to be, is an interesting one. He’s been outstanding this season and I’d pick him every day of the week if we’re judging on ability but it says a lot about the culture at the Chiefs that he’s not included.
Tom O’Flaherty scored a worldie of a try in the semi-final and has earned the right to keep his place this weekend. The fact that Cordero’s leaving this summer might also have something to do with it and there might be an element of him being a bit more vulnerable to Saracens’ kicking game as well.
Exeter have been phenomenal in recent years and I’d love to see them win, as I think a lot of neutrals would, but you have to say that there are question marks over their ability to take their regular season form into these big knockout games.
Some people will say that it’s boring that these two are so far ahead of the rest as well but I don’t buy that. We had a period of dominance at Leicester and then Wasps did when the play-offs came in and they excelled in the big games.
Sport is cyclical and the likes of Gloucester, Northampton and Harlequins have shown this season that they are at the start of their cycles. Exeter and Saracens are at the peak of their powers and we should be in for an epic final.
The vast big game experience of these Saracens players is the major difference, though, and winning titles has become not just a habit but an expectation. You have to think that they’re going to win a fourth title in five years.
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
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
5 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.
6 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.
6 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.
18 Go to comments