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The Exeter reaction to having Harry Williams back after latest England axe

(Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Exeter boss Rob Baxter has welcomed tighthead Harry Williams back into the Chiefs fold with open arms after the forward was released from the England squad following their Guinness Six Nations defeat to Scotland last Saturday.

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The 29-year-old played 18 minutes off the bench at Twickenham in what was his first appearance at Test level since August 2019. It was Williams’ 16th cap as a replacement in his 19-cap career and he has now been deemed surplus to requirement for England’s round two game versus Italy as Kyle Sinckler has finished his suspension.  

Williams’ existence in the ‘nearly’ zone with England has often seen him picked in squads by Jones and then getting released back to Exeter in midweek. Baxter has now reported the reaction from his player has been no different this week to his latest England setback, Williams telling him he wants to play in Exeter’s Premiership match next Saturday at home to London Irish.     

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Eddie Jones delivers the latest update from the England Six Nations camp

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Eddie Jones delivers the latest update from the England Six Nations camp

“It’s one of those bittersweet things because the reality is we all kind of feel for Harry when he gets brought out the international environment because we all rate him very highly here,” said Baxter about the England rejig where Williams was one of two players released by Jones after the loss to Scotland.

“Our preference would much be for him to be with England. We know he is desperate to play as high a level of rugby as he can and desperate to play for England. It feels great for us on a team perspective to have him back in our side but there is always that hint of disappointment when one of your players who is currently in the international environment gets dropped back out of it.

“Personally, it’s great for us and a little bit of a shame for Harry. But the really nice thing when you talk to Harry is he comes at you the minute he gets told he is leaving the England camp. I say, ‘Alright, Harry how are you, how have things gone?’ And he doesn’t whinge or moan, he just goes, ‘Please pick me this weekend’.

“It’s a nice scenario to be in. He doesn’t go, ‘Can you please give me a rest this weekend?’ Every time he speaks to me after he gets released he goes, ‘Can you pick me this weekend? I’m desperate to play’. Whether that is one day’s preparation or whether it is a full week, he is a great character to have back in the team.”

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J
JW 13 minutes ago
Three former All Blacks assess the playing style adopted against France

Yep Wilson at least does a lot of such research but I think it’s only when it revolves around the All Blacks etc, like he go and find out why Ireland whipped our butt etc, and come back with a view we need to imrpove and do x y z like such and such is.


But none of them are individuals that are a) any sort of quality coach/analyst of the game (NPC the highest), or b) seem to consume stupids amount of rugby for the love of it like people in a similar profession in other top leagues. Johnson is probably the only one I would say comes close to that but is a pure fan, I don’t think he has any pro knowledge.


To be fair to them, the best in say soccer or american football would get paid a hundred times what these guys do, but it’s so hard in those markets that all panelists have to be students of the game just to get a shot. And in the case of Beaver, he is like the Ian Smith of cricket, he’s a knowledgable gu, enough to lead people down the wrong track (they would believe him), but they’re both very obvious in their more parochial opinions that you know to take what Beavers saying with a grain of salt. Wilson, Marshall, and even Mils go off like they think theyre the bees knees,


Admittedly things are changing globably, i’ve glimpsed enough football shows to know the Britsih media are happy, and the fans too soaking it up, getting the most high profile ex players on a show as the best way to increase ratings.

12 Go to comments
J
JW 35 minutes ago
Beauden Barrett weighs in on controversial yellow card

It’s an interesting question because a normal diberate knock on is just a penalty offense, an normal infringement like any other, so that’s deemed where the was not a reasonable chance to catch the ball.


But it’s a ruling that can also be upgraded to a foul, and by association, a yellow card, when it’s it was also deliberately trying to deny the ball to another player. For instance, that is why they are just given penalties up the field, because the player has just made a bad decision (one where he had no reasonable chance) and he doesn’t really care if the pass had gone to hand for his opponents or not (he was just thinking about being a hero etc).


So the way the refs have been asked to apply the law is to basically just determine whether there was an overlap (and not to try and guess what the player was actually thinking) or not, as to whether it’s a penalty or a YC.


This is the part Barrett doesn’t like, he’s essentially saying “but I had no idea whether they were likely to score or not (whether there was an unmarked man), so how can you tell me I was deliberately trying to prevent it going to someone, it could have been a blind pass to no one”.


It’s WR trying to make it clear cut for fans and refs, if at the players expense.

But yes, also you must think it entirely possible given both were foul plays that they could both go to the bench. Much the same as we see regularly when even though the play scores a try, they have started sending the player off still.


And while I agree Narawa didn’t knock it on, I think the ball did go forward, just off the shoulder. As his hands were up in the air, above the ball, basically like a basketball hope over his right shoulder, I guess you’re right in that if it did make contact with his hands it would have had to be deflected backwards onto his shoulder etc. Looking at the replay, Le Garrec clearly lost control of the ball forward too, but because Barrett was deemed to have committed a deliberate act, that overrides the knockon from 9.


I just don’t understand how they can consider it a deliberate attempt to block a pass when he actually lost the ball forward!

44 Go to comments
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