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'We haven't got the Championship going, which is criminal really'
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has delivered a stark appraisal as rugby union continues grappling with coronavirus and its wide-ranging impact on the sport. Exeter will, as scheduled, face Wasps in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final behind closed doors at Twickenham.
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But Wasps’ participation had been in doubt after seven players and four staff members were diagnosed with Covid-19, before final pre-match testing on Tuesday produced no further positive tests and the Coventry club received an all-clear for this weekend’s game.
Wasps’ situation followed that of Sale Sharks’ earlier this month, when their final league game of the season against Worcester did not take place following 27 positive tests over the course of a week, ending title hopes as Bath replaced them in the play-offs.
All Premiership clubs, meanwhile, continue to take a considerable financial hit and there is no realistic prospect of crowds being allowed back until at least March, while the Championship and community club game remain on hold.
Exeter boss Baxter said: “As everyone is going to be aware, the biggest challenge for rugby at the moment is not who wins trophies, it’s going to be staying around as a professional viable sport over the next twelve months. There is no room to fit (any rearranged) fixtures in again next season. Every single weekend is a Heineken Cup or a Premiership game until you get to the knockout stages later on.
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“You are not going to be able to cancel games. You are going to have to have some regulation that games can be forfeited based on the Covid scenario. I’m terrified of it myself, I don’t mind telling you. We’ve had hardly any of it in the camp. We are ticking along, and the boys have been fantastic.
“They’ve been locked down, but that can’t go on forever. It’s impossible. We are in an area where, sooner or later, unless a vaccine happens, it’s going to get into the community at some stage.
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“It isn’t just going to go away, is it? Once it gets into the community, we could be one of the most affected clubs because we haven’t had it. Everyone is going to be in a slightly different scenario. Am I worried about it? Yes. Is there a rule or regulation that can get us round it? I don’t think there is.”
Exeter rose to English’s rugby summit via the lower leagues and they were promoted from the Championship ten years ago, winning the Premiership in 2017 and the Heineken Champions Cup last weekend. The 2019/20 Championship season was halted in March, with no start date yet set for the new campaign, while the community club game remains in cold storage.
“It would be nice to see something like you are seeing at lower levels of football where they can start having their supporters in, start to get their bars open, start to get that revenue going that they survive on,” added Baxter, the long-serving Exeter coach.
“We are actually killing a level of sport that we don’t need to because we are not willing to move on in certain ways. There are so many more things we could do that are proactive and would help grassroots get going.
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“We haven’t got the Championship going, which is criminal really. We’re not even helping them put anything in place to get their game up and running, and yet we’ve got other levels of sport playing in other areas.
“There are clubs down here throughout Devon and Cornwall that could be having local derbies every week with limited crowds. They can have money coming in. There is an awful lot we could be doing down here if people just almost open their eyes and accept there are different things we can be doing. It needs to happen pretty quickly.”
Chiefs have full faith in the process that has Exeter facing Wasps in this Saturday's Prem finalhttps://t.co/CGsi5y7Uk5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
12 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
12 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments