Exeter Chiefs v Leinster Sunday 5.30 BT

[the spoofer]

The most intriguing ref decision for me was the one not to card Nic White for what was a really dangerous tackle on Healy. The ref even said it wasn't dangerous when it very clearly was.

[molloyjh]

I was impressed how they didn't let the disappointments of the ref/TMO get to them. Thought it would have been a penalty try for the 3rd penalty at the scrum, also Isa was high tackled on the way to Sexton's try but there was no penalty. The experience and composure was a credit to them that they just stuck at it and took their scores.

There was no penalty because we scored the try. Poite spotted it, gave the advantage and spoke to the Exeter player after the try was scored.

[molloyjh]

The most intriguing ref decision for me was the one not to card Nic White for what was a really dangerous tackle on Healy. The ref even said it wasn't dangerous when it very clearly was.

Ah it wasn't really. The speed and angle of the whole thing made it fairly innocuous. Completely the right call from Poite there too.

[the spoofer]

The most intriguing ref decision for me was the one not to card Nic White for what was a really dangerous tackle on Healy. The ref even said it wasn't dangerous when it very clearly was.

Ah it wasn't really. The speed and angle of the whole thing made it fairly innocuous. Completely the right call from Poite there too.

White went in without an arm and Healy ended up landing on his neck. It was a certain yellow and could have been a red last year.

[lotmc]

LeoCaster's decision not to include Lowe in the squad for the game now makes a lot more sense, and has been fully vindicated.

We played to our strengths. Isa and Ferg must have been identified as the two wingers with skills most aligned to the team strategy of beating them up all over the park.

[Ruckedtobits]

I wonder if Jack McGrath did enough to start? Thought he looked far more like his usual self and I'd back him to deliver if he did. After such an energy sapping game I'd be eager to make a change like that where possible. Tracy would be another. I'd say we're wrecked after yesterday but Exeter must be exhausted, big ask for them to go again this weekend.

Isa just doesn't look like a winger to me anymore and I'd probably leave him out entirely but I know that won't happen.

It'll be interesting to see if Jordi makes it back in or if he'll lose out now that he's moving. He could be behind Leavy anyway but I don't just mean for this game, I wonder if he'll be moved down the pecking order.

When you have beaten a team who don't have the quality of options to rotate, why would you sacrifice your advantage of ascendency?

Francis has the sort of technique which causes Cian problems - think of a certain Osprey's THP with a similar hairstyle in succesive Magners's Finals! Jack might be an excellent call-in to start, but largely because the fourth Quarter on Saturday should be about our hunt for BP.

For me it's JvDF to replace Rhys with Jordi on the bench, largely because Dan L hasn't been in match contact for 6 weeks.

We can't go without Isa or Ferg on the pitch if J10's Quad is troublesome. A bang, but not bad enough to rule him out & play Ross Byrne. Can't accept that Isa doesn't look like a winger. His instincts are still great, even if he has to drive inside to get his breaks rather around the outside.

We could go for Isa and Ferg with Lowe on Bench for back three and to play last 20 / 25 looking for tries. It would be some statement of intent but would mean including Nick McCarthy as cover at 9. A risk which maybe too big with one day less prep, due to travel delay.

It must be recognised that yesterday's performance came from skills, determination and experience. All three are necessary to beat Chiefs and Leo, Girv and Burt will be reluctant to concede any of these factors in the re-match. Baxter can play a more wide-wide game with high tempo when he has to and he may feel this is necessary in the circumstances. By the time they get to Aviva on Sat, he will certainly have Chiefs believing they can get 5 points and back into the competition.

Tadgh's comments have to be believed "This is only half-time and we know it".

[domhnallj]

Tadgh's comments have to be believed "This is only half-time and we know it".

I'd like to think that the Northampton back-to-back win-loss a few years ago lingers long in the memory.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wonder if Jack McGrath did enough to start? Thought he looked far more like his usual self and I'd back him to deliver if he did. After such an energy sapping game I'd be eager to make a change like that where possible. Tracy would be another. I'd say we're wrecked after yesterday but Exeter must be exhausted, big ask for them to go again this weekend.

Isa just doesn't look like a winger to me anymore and I'd probably leave him out entirely but I know that won't happen.

It'll be interesting to see if Jordi makes it back in or if he'll lose out now that he's moving. He could be behind Leavy anyway but I don't just mean for this game, I wonder if he'll be moved down the pecking order.

When you have beaten a team who don't have the quality of options to rotate, why would you sacrifice your advantage of ascendency?
I'm not being funny but....for the reasons I outlined? And because I don't think we'd be losing out by doing so, so don't believe we'd be giving up any advantage. I'm not talking mass changes but I do always like to make two or three changes when there's back to back games like this. We have the squad so I think we should use it, especially after such a tough game. I would bring Adam Byrne back in for definite and obviously there needs to be a change at 6, and I'd be happy with just those two changes. But IF we are tired and IF the coaches think that Jack is back to form and Tracy's darts will be better than yesterday then I'd make at least one of those changes just to get some fresh legs in there. And from what you said below you'd possibly make that change too so we're not really disagreeing too much.


Francis has the sort of technique which causes Cian problems - think of a certain Osprey's THP with a similar hairstyle in succesive Magners's Finals! Jack might be an excellent call-in to start, but largely because the fourth Quarter on Saturday should be about our hunt for BP.

For me it's JvDF to replace Rhys with Jordi on the bench, largely because Dan L hasn't been in match contact for 6 weeks.

We can't go without Isa or Ferg on the pitch if J10's Quad is troublesome. A bang, but not bad enough to rule him out & play Ross Byrne. Can't accept that Isa doesn't look like a winger. His instincts are still great, even if he has to drive inside to get his breaks rather around the outside.
His instincts these days seem to be to kick. He did it when he first got the ball yesterday and did it a good few times in a game recently (Dragons maybe?). I think we'd be better served by holding on to the ball a lot of the time and he's getting caught defensively an awful lot (going back to last season). And I agree with you about Exeter going wide more and playing at a higher tempo this week, but I think that's partly because they'll be encouraged by some of the joy they got from Isa yesterday. He did some good things too and his kicking was great, but I do think we could improve upon him at this stage. The Clermont semi is still fresh in my mind and we can't afford to have him on the wing in a game like that again IMO, it's not just about the next game.

[Ruckedtobits]

@LRIP, I just think that our tactic was to attack their back three with kicks to particular places which exposed their positioning. Isa is well capable of carrying into contact and obviously did well for J10's try. I am not yet convinced of Adam Byrne's defensive capability to risk him starting in a game which we must win, when we have Ferg and Isa available. He's improved, he's close to where you want him, but for him it would be a big, big, game. For Ferg and Isa, it's just ANOTHER big game and that counts for a lot.

Jack would be a 'horses for courses' selection but I don't think there's much in it for this game. Williams (their THP) must be wondering where his Ingerland career is heading after Baxter's (correct) call yesterday. Francis on the other hand, probably feels happy in one way, but can't really look forward to the prospect of another 80 mins plus of that next Saturday.

There is still a contest to be had on Saturday and I anticipate a ferocious 40 - 60 mins with us hopefully ahead by 6-8 points and then a decision to be made whether to really go after a BP or not. For them, Baxter could decide from the outset to go gang-busters for points by his high-tempo side-to-side. But the risk there is that his Chiefs could be 14-16 points down at half-time with no way back.

[Ruckedtobits]

BTW, always thought that Cian had more problems against barrel-chested, 'slopey' shouldered props like Alan Jones and Francis than with taller, square-shouldered giants like Heyman and SA and Argentinian props. Cian's great power in his left arm gives him leverage against the bigger guys with square shoulders which he can't exercise in the same way if his opponent has 'slopey shoulders'. Just a theory mind you and they have to be very good THPs to give him any trouble in the first place.

[Raydollard]

If we aim to get a five-pointer this week, and of course we should, neither Isa or Fergus should be left anywhere near the team.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

@LRIP, I just think that our tactic was to attack their back three with kicks to particular places which exposed their positioning. Isa is well capable of carrying into contact and obviously did well for J10's try. I am not yet convinced of Adam Byrne's defensive capability to risk him starting in a game which we must win, when we have Ferg and Isa available. He's improved, he's close to where you want him, but for him it would be a big, big, game. For Ferg and Isa, it's just ANOTHER big game and that counts for a lot.

To some degree I'm sure it was, but when there's space to run into and support beside you I don't see a need to kick, and it's something that Isa has been resorting to more and more because (in my opinion) he doesn't have the pace to make the run rather than for tactical reasons. I presume we'll attack them in the air again this week and Adam is the best win in our squad at doing that in my opinion. I'm not suggesting we pick him because we should be throwing the ball around but I think his aerial skills and hard running would be a nightmare for Short.

I'm still nervous of Adam in defence too (although as I keep saying he was excellent against Ulster and Argentina) but where we differ is that I just don't share your confidence in Isa anymore. Do you not recall the Clermont game? He was a liability in it and I felt that Exeter were able to expose him at times yesterday, he just didn't give Ringrose the help he needed on three occasions that I can think of. I still think Isa is a fine player and he did some good things yesterday (not to mention his leadership) but I just think we could improve. For me, the two areas we needed to improve upon from last year were in the second row (where we now have Fardy and Ryan) and to be more of a threat in the back three (where we now have a more rounded Adam Byrne, Lowe, and Larmour), and so I would be looking to work on those areas now. For example, I wouldn't say we were handicapped by not having Isa on the wing against Montpellier, I would say our performance was enhanced by the threat of Daly.

[desperado]

I wonder if Jack McGrath did enough to start? Thought he looked far more like his usual self and I'd back him to deliver if he did. After such an energy sapping game I'd be eager to make a change like that where possible. Tracy would be another. I'd say we're wrecked after yesterday but Exeter must be exhausted, big ask for them to go again this weekend.

Isa just doesn't look like a winger to me anymore and I'd probably leave him out entirely but I know that won't happen.

It'll be interesting to see if Jordi makes it back in or if he'll lose out now that he's moving. He could be behind Leavy anyway but I don't just mean for this game, I wonder if he'll be moved down the pecking order.

When you have beaten a team who don't have the quality of options to rotate, why would you sacrifice your advantage of ascendency?

Francis has the sort of technique which causes Cian problems - think of a certain Osprey's THP with a similar hairstyle in succesive Magners's Finals! Jack might be an excellent call-in to start, but largely because the fourth Quarter on Saturday should be about our hunt for BP.

For me it's JvDF to replace Rhys with Jordi on the bench, largely because Dan L hasn't been in match contact for 6 weeks.

We can't go without Isa or Ferg on the pitch if J10's Quad is troublesome. A bang, but not bad enough to rule him out & play Ross Byrne. Can't accept that Isa doesn't look like a winger. His instincts are still great, even if he has to drive inside to get his breaks rather around the outside.

We could go for Isa and Ferg with Lowe on Bench for back three and to play last 20 / 25 looking for tries. It would be some statement of intent but would mean including Nick McCarthy as cover at 9. A risk which maybe too big with one day less prep, due to travel delay.

It must be recognised that yesterday's performance came from skills, determination and experience. All three are necessary to beat Chiefs and Leo, Girv and Burt will be reluctant to concede any of these factors in the re-match. Baxter can play a more wide-wide game with high tempo when he has to and he may feel this is necessary in the circumstances. By the time they get to Aviva on Sat, he will certainly have Chiefs believing they can get 5 points and back into the competition.

Tadgh's comments have to be believed "This is only half-time and we know it".

Another option for Rhys would be Fardy to 6, start James Ryan and Mick Kearney to bench along with JVDF.

[Oldschool]

@LRIP, I just think that our tactic was to attack their back three with kicks to particular places which exposed their positioning. Isa is well capable of carrying into contact and obviously did well for J10's try. I am not yet convinced of Adam Byrne's defensive capability to risk him starting in a game which we must win, when we have Ferg and Isa available. He's improved, he's close to where you want him, but for him it would be a big, big, game. For Ferg and Isa, it's just ANOTHER big game and that counts for a lot.

To some degree I'm sure it was, but when there's space to run into and support beside you I don't see a need to kick, and it's something that Isa has been resorting to more and more because (in my opinion) he doesn't have the pace to make the run rather than for tactical reasons. I presume we'll attack them in the air again this week and Adam is the best win in our squad at doing that in my opinion. I'm not suggesting we pick him because we should be throwing the ball around but I think his aerial skills and hard running would be a nightmare for Short.

I'm still nervous of Adam in defence too (although as I keep saying he was excellent against Ulster and Argentina) but where we differ is that I just don't share your confidence in Isa anymore. Do you not recall the Clermont game? He was a liability in it and I felt that Exeter were able to expose him at times yesterday, he just didn't give Ringrose the help he needed on three occasions that I can think of. I still think Isa is a fine player and he did some good things yesterday (not to mention his leadership) but I just think we could improve. For me, the two areas we needed to improve upon from last year were in the second row (where we now have Fardy and Ryan) and to be more of a threat in the back three (where we now have a more rounded Adam Byrne, Lowe, and Larmour), and so I would be looking to work on those areas now. For example, I wouldn't say we were handicapped by not having Isa on the wing against Montpellier, I would say our performance was enhanced by the threat of Daly.

You've summed it up perfectly.

[Oldschool]

Another option for Rhys would be Fardy to 6, start James Ryan and Mick Kearney to bench along with JVDF.

Not a bad idea but I think we're well covered with VDF and Jordi.

[jimbobjoe]

Exeter are going to come out all guns blazing to prove themselves.

Jordi to start and tackle everything in sight for 50 mins. VDF to come on and run them ragged for the remaining 30.

[alanair]

Another option for Rhys would be Fardy to 6, start James Ryan and Mick Kearney to bench along with JVDF.

Not a bad idea but I think we're well covered with VDF and Jordi.

I think its time we retired the phrase ' in Joe we trust' and replace it with 'in Leo we trust'...
If nothing else , he deserves that accolade following team selection last week

[neilinboston]

Another option for Rhys would be Fardy to 6, start James Ryan and Mick Kearney to bench along with JVDF.

Not a bad idea but I think we're well covered with VDF and Jordi.

I think its time we retired the phrase ' in Joe we trust' and replace it with 'in Leo we trust'...
If nothing else , he deserves that accolade following team selection last week

This is a great point. I think in joe there was a single figure we could look at and think wow. We now have hybrid names of leo and Lancaster which makes it harder to apportion credit.
The complete change up in tactics to smother Exeter in the cold on their own patch was brilliant. I was disappointed to see ferg and isa on the wings... I was wrong, it was a selection designed to hurt Exeter. Tactically savage.
I’ve no idea if they’ll serve up more of the same next weekend or completely switch it up. Could easily end up running the legs off them from the start having sapped all their energy last weekend.

[neiliog93]

Are we allowed to pick Fardy at 6? I remember there being uncertainty there.

[johng]

Are we allowed to pick Fardy at 6? I remember there being uncertainty there.

A/ He has already played 6 for us afaik.
B/ There was never any question of him not being "allowed" to play 6. Just that we signed him as a 2nd row to replace Triggs and we have a geansai load of back row players.