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'We still have a couple of slots': The gaps Exeter want to fill

By Liam Heagney
A muddied Exeter listen up during pre-season training

Exeter boss Rob Baxter has suggested that further signings could be made by the Gallagher Premiership club before the new season gets going with their September 10 fixture at home to defending champions Leicester.

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Tongan midfielder Solomone Kata was unveiled by the Chiefs on Wednesday as their fifth off-season signing, the recruit from Moana Pasifika joining Jack Dunne and Rory O’Loughlin of Leinster and South Africans Aidon Davis and Ruben van Heerden at the English club.

However, Baxter has now hinted that his recruitment drive might not yet be over ahead of a campaign where he will look to restore the famed Exeter consistency that saw them progress to six consecutive Premiership finals between 2016 and 2021, winning the title on two occasions along with being crowned 2019/20 European champions.

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Exeter fell off the pace last season, finishing seventh in the league and getting knocked out of Europe in the round of 16. Forwards such as England’s Jonny Hill and Scotland’s Sam Skinner have since left the club but Baxter believes preparations are looking up for the new season and that the scope exists to still add a few more players.

“We still have a couple of slots that we could fill,” said Baxter to the Exeter club website. “With Will Witty moving on, that has opened up a space there, and there is a little bit of room potentially around the front row that I’m still looking at.

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“That said, we are starting to look where we need to be. So far we have got a good block of training into the guys that are here. It would have been nice to have got through this period with a few less operations and a few more guys on the field able to train regularly, but it’s very rare that Premiership clubs get to do that now,” continued Baxter, who last month had his squad train with the Royal Marines at a commando training centre in Lympstone.

“Overall, though, we are looking good and the guys look like they are bonding together nicely, which is really important. Initially, we didn’t think we would get Solomone over here as early as we have, so it’s great that he is here and settling in because that means we can get him on the pitch a lot earlier as well.”

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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