... and there were a lot, between a really good team who looked extremely comfortable all afternoon and LI, was blindingly obvious to me. Exeter took the ball on the run and at speed and we took the ball standing still.

How many times did Waldrom take the ball on the charge, needing two tacklers to get hold of him, and making five metres every time? I can barely recall any LI runner having that sort of impact at all during the whole game

There were other differences but that one stuck out for me like a sore thumb

Exeter are a top side, they don’t make mistakes, make impact with and without the ball and they have faith in each other to deliver the basics with ease.

They’re also incredibly fit, definitely fitter than us. Our kicking is the worst I’ve seen in a very long time, whoever is coaching that tactic needs to STOP, IMMEDIATELY!

I dont agree about fitness. IMO our guys were right up there. However Exeter were definitely a) More direct b) running faster from deep so, making gains and c) mixed backs and forwards up in centre-field very effectively, once again, making fast, hard yards. There was not surprisingly a confidence that also helped. Simple looking tactics very well executed. There's a bleddy good reason they are top and are not....

First to most balls, stronger in the contact to the end - fitter

Quote:

orsoncart
... and there were a lot, between a really good team who looked extremely comfortable all afternoon and LI, was blindingly obvious to me. Exeter took the ball on the run and at speed and we took the ball standing still.
How many times did Waldrom take the ball on the charge, needing two tacklers to get hold of him, and making five metres every time? I can barely recall any LI runner having that sort of impact at all during the whole game

There were other differences but that one stuck out for me like a sore thumb

Porecki for me was the obvious LI player making the most metres. He made a big impact from the bench.

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I'd rather be a Paddy then a Quin!!

C'mon the boys in Green!!

[www.espn.com]
Looking at the stats it doesn’t make us look awful, Exeter were just the better team

Definitely more muscular and powerful. Even backs like Whitten looked as big and strong as our back row players.

Johnny Hill and Lees made our locks look puny in comparison.

Their backs were not only powerful but elusive, always breaking/sliding out of the first tackle. Nowell was great, always looking for the ball.

Apart from a handful, none of their entire squad were even known of before they played for Exeter. Rob Baxter and his coaches, incl strength and conditioning, do a fantastic job

They looked huge in comparison and kicking the ball to them in areas where we don’t even compete gives them a decent opportunity to pick up speed, we didn’t pressure them quickly enough to check their momentum. Leagues apart......

Quote:

Shawshank
Even backs like Whitten looked as big and strong as our back row players.

That would be true of most teams though. Whitten played a significant chunk of the Gloucester game at flanker.

It looked like a game between a Premiership team and a Championship team to me, men against boys.

They just have better players - end of

Quote:

Props are not stupid
It looked like a game between a Premiership team and a Championship team to me, men against boys.

'afraid so

There have been too many times when I've walked away from the MadStad disappointed with our performance. Yesterday was not one of those days.

Exeter was clearly the much better side, and yes we were thrashed, but not by playing badly or making stupid choices. Our penalty count was pretty low too.

The Chiefs are clear at the top of the Premiership for very good reasons.

Quote:

exile99
There have been too many times when I've walked away from the MadStad disappointed with our performance. Yesterday was not one of those days.
Exeter was clearly the much better side, and yes we were thrashed, but not by playing badly or making stupid choices. Our penalty count was pretty low too.

The Chiefs are clear at the top of the Premiership for very good reasons.

My thoughts exactly ! The were bloody impressive!!

Exeter are an example to follow in progressing players. Sad as it sounds for my own reasons I was in the stadium over an hour before the start and Henry Slade was practising touch finding kicks relentessly; checking the breeze and kicking both sides of the pitch. Not a LI player to be seen until the group warmup a half hour before. And I agree Exeter were by far the better team, but simple things like running onto passes were pretty woeful compared to Exeter
Henry Slade was kicking 50/60 metre touch finders to push back Irish when we had nothing to compete.
Their back row plus Jonny Hill were outstanding and while not an admirer of the "colourful Jack Nowell" he was a force to be reckoned with.
In summary Exeter were the best team by far on Sunday and Irish could learn a lot by the experience.
I now look forward the return to the Championship but hope that we have the belief and confidence to take on the other contenders and make our way back to the Premiership.