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Worcester, Exeter name teams after in-doubt match gets go-ahead
Worcester have belatedly named their team for Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership match at home to Exeter after they were finally given permission by the RFU to stage the game as planned at Sixways. Doubts about the fixture lingered all week due to the ongoing financial crisis at the club and those fears were elevated on Thursday night when the RFU warned that the Warriors faced suspension unless the necessary safety assurances were provided by 12 noon on Friday.
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These guarantees eventually materialised, resulting in the RFU issuing a statement at 1:16pm on Friday afternoon that confirmed the round two top-flight match would be staged as scheduled. This was followed by both Worcester and Exeter naming their teams after the clubs had earlier stated on Twitter that confirmation of the respective XVs had been delayed.
In the end, Worcester picked a team that showed three changes from last weekend’s heavy loss at London Irish and included for his first start in eleven months was Wales out-half Owen Williams. He suffered a serious hamstring injury when attempting to kick a conversion against his old club Gloucester last October.
Having returned as a replacement against Harlequins in January, Williams then missed the remainder of the season but he has now returned to full fitness and kicked two conversions when he came off the bench at London Irish last Saturday.
With Williams starting in place of Billy Searle, who has been named as a replacement having recovered from the head injury suffered last week, the other Worcester changes see the inclusion of try-scoring sub Curtis Langdon for Hame Faiva at hooker and Tom Dodd at number eight for Matt Kvesic.
Satisfied that the Warriors met their RFU deadline to provide assurances in relation to the receipt of a general safety certificate from the local authority and written confirmation of medical provision, Exeter made just a single change to their starting XV with Rory O’Loughlin named at outside centre in place of the benched Solomone Kata, a try-scorer in last Saturday’s win over Leicester.
WORCESTER: 15. Jamie Shillcock; 14. Perry Humphreys, 13. Ollie Lawrence, 12. Francois Venter (capt), 11. Alex Hearle; 10. Owen Williams, 9. Gareth Simpson; 1. Valeriy Morozov, 2. Curtis Langdon, 3. Murray McCallum, 4. Joe Batley, 5. Andrew Kitchener, 6. Fergus Lee-Warner, 7. Cameron Neild, 8. Tom Dodd. Reps: 16. Hame Faiva, 17. Rory Sutherland, 18. Jay Tyack, 19. Graham Kitchener, 20. Matt Kvesic, 21. Will Chudley, 22. Billy Searle, 23. Noah Heward.
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EXETER: 15. Joe Simmonds; 14. Jack Nowell, 13. Rory O’Loughlin, 12. Ian Whitten, 11. Olly Woodburn; 10. Harvey Skinner, 9. Stu Townsend; 1. Alec Hepburn, 2. Jack Yeandle (capt), 3. Marcus Street, 4. Jack Dunne, 5. Jonny Gray, 6. Jannes Kirsten, 7. Christ Tshiunza, 8. Richard Capstick. Reps: 16. Jack Innard, 17. James Kenny, 18. Patrick Schickerling, 19. Ruben van Heerden, 20. Dave Ewers, 21. Jack Maunder, 22. Solomone Kata, 23. Facundo Cordero.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe 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 comments