The new rules opinions that have 'baffled' Exeter boss Rob Baxter
Multi-trophy winner Rob Baxter has spoken about his bewilderment over some of the opinions voiced after his Exeter team’s losing start to the new Gallagher Premiership season. The Chiefs are currently sitting in twelfth in the 13-team league following defeats at Leicester and at home to Northampton. There is a feeling that with referees being more stringent on latchers and with five-metre scrums when attackers get held up now being replaced by goal-line drop-outs, Exeter have come unstuck in the red zone.
Even Northampton boss Chris Boyd hinted as much when assessing his team’s 26-24 win at Sandy Park last weekend. That is a perspective that Baxter has now dismissed, insisting his Exeter team never double-latched in previous years and that no firm judgment can be made regarding their current form given it is so early in the new league season.
They also still have numerous players to come back into their fold, including Stuart Hogg for this weekend’s trip to Sale with their other Lions trio, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill and Sam Simmonds, all set to be available for the following round four fixture at home to Worcester.
The suggestion that the new rules have somehow caught Exeter out was something that fired up Baxter at his weekly media conference, the long-serving director of rugby giving a lengthy response to the query. “We are always tweaking and developing our game… we haven’t stayed around the top-end of the Premiership for the last six, seven years and won Europe and won a couple of Premierships just playing exactly the same game for that seven years.
“A lot of people like to say we have (stayed the same) but we haven’t. There are changes there that have kept us a little bit ahead of the game. A perfect example, six years ago the five-metre tap wasn’t in anybody’s game. Well, we brought that in a couple of seasons ago and now everybody is doing it. We changed things and added things as we have gone along and we did the same at the start of the season.
"All that Stuart needs to know from me…"
– The Scotland captain twice started for the Lions versus the Springboks but he went to South Africa having been benched by Exeter for their Premiership final and semi-final #Lions #Exeter #SALvEXE https://t.co/Ma9fLYBSe5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 30, 2021
“The big problem I have got is we haven’t played to our potential with the players we have got on the field yet, we could play a bit better, and we actually haven’t got a full group yet to select from. So there are some things we are doing, but I can’t tell you if they work or not so I don’t know whether it is the right time to change them. I genuinely can’t sit here and go, ‘Well, I know that doesn’t work’ because we could be doing the things we are doing a bit better, and it might not take much change in personnel to make things a lot better. Until that happens I would be very careful that I don’t instigate a raft of changes that make us a far worse team than we are or could be. There is a balance to how we do things.
“One thing I would say, and I know there has been a bit of focus because a couple of people have said to me, ‘It’s the new law changes‘, we haven’t been penalised once five metres from the opposition try line. We have lost the ball a couple of times and we have been turned over, we have been held up over the line but we haven’t been penalised. We haven’t been refereed out of the game in any scenario so I’m kind of baffled by people just dropping in an opinion on something that hasn’t affected us. We don’t double latch, we never have done. I don’t why people think we double latch. We have never done, so we were never doing anything illegal.
“What happened when went into our pick-and-go and our five-metre attack game, teams started to copy that and quite rightly so because it had some success and some teams started to develop a double latch process. Well, that’s fine. Those teams have had to change. We actually haven’t had to change our process there five metres out because we weren’t doing it anyway.
“This is where sometimes you have not just got to have a base analysis of stuff, you have to have a bit of detail. It’s not as simple as going something has changed this season because it hasn’t. What has changed is we’re not playing at the level we are capable of playing or we will certainly play in the future from what I am expecting.”
"He has had some mental issues and everyone is fully aware of that, he has been to the press about it in the past"
– Denny Solomona went 7?? months without a Sale appearance and was linked with a move, but he is now very much back in the fold ?
#Salehttps://t.co/U1KeAMaL3f— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 29, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
18 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
18 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
18 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
18 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
18 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
18 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
15 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
3 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to comments