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.
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Big empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
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