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Chiefs v Falcons


Chiefs

By Moorsman
February 25 2017

Chiefs look to continue their push for a top four finish with the visit of Newcastle Falcons to Sandy Park 

Chiefs v Falcons

Chiefs look to continue their push for a top four finish with the visit of Newcastle Falcons to Sandy Park.  Chiefs are currently in good form but then again so are Falcons who are a much improved side this season.  Indeed they'll be pushing for a top six finish instead of spending most of the season looking at the relegation battle.

Pos PlWDLPFPADiffTFTATBLBPts
1

Wasps

15 11 1 3 478 346 132 59 41 8 1 55
2

Sarries

15 10 1 4 353 202 151 38 13 4 3 49
3

Chiefs

15 8 3 4 420 306 114 53 38 8 3 49
4

Bath

15 10 0 5 348 258 90 37 27 4 3 47
5

Tigers

16 10 0 6 396 309 87 41 33 4 3 47
6

Quins

16 8 0 8 352 368 -16 38 41 3 2 37
7

Falcons

15 7 0 8 298 372 -74 37 44 4 4 36
8

Saints

15 7 0 8 300 313 -13 29 29 3 4 35
9

Glaws

15 5 2 8 359 334 25 38 39 4 6 34
10

Sharks

15 5 1 9 305 374 -69 36 42 4 3 29
11

Warriors

15 3 2 10 290 475 -185 31 54 2 1 19
12

Bristol

15 2 0 13 241 483 -242 27 63 0 5 13

Chiefs normally have the upper hand at Sandy Park and I don't think this will change but it's likely to be a closer encounter than some we've had with Falcons.

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Chiefs v Falcons
Discussion started by thechiefstribe.com (IP Logged), 25/02/2017 12:03
thechiefstribe.com
thechiefstribe.com
25/02/2017 12:03
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Brent1
Brent1
25/02/2017 17:30
Well not a perfect performance but shows how far we have come when we are getting frustrated waiting for a WBP against an industrious underrated team like Falcons

Some youngsters came on well and got game time under the belt today..all good for the future

The officials were poor. they didn't manage offside for either team which kills the game...

Anybody else not hear anything on the ref in a box? Probably for the best Tempest was poor IMHO

On a positive given Will Hooley has had t wait behind Steeno and Slade and then seen Simmonds fly....he came on and did really well especially the grubber for Shortys final try...so similar to hooker we have 4 great players in the position.

We will be in the play offs just a question of home or away now....HOME please boys !

Littledeepea
Otter Supper
25/02/2017 18:03
Quote:
Brent1
Anybody else not hear anything on the ref in a box? Probably for the best Tempest was poor IMHO

Had a constant hum all match and could only faintly hear any of the conversations.

I had high hopes for Mr Tempest after his debut at SP against Wasps. Wasps were asking for a penalty try after repeated scrum penalties against Exe on our 5 meter line. He told them that they could only score tries if they were going forward, but in the event they were mostly going backwards. That was also the match where he red carded Eliot Daly for suggesting that he should grow a pair. That all changed against Sarries when despite extended video replays he sent off the player who should have seen yellow and gave no sanction to the player who should have seen red. Then his performance today, not one of my favourites anymore.

That's the negatives out of the way, as Brent has said there were some good performances from players who would normally be 3rd or 4th choices. Also the team ethic of leaving nothing on the pitch, they had won the game with a TBP but then caught Falcons on the back foot who proball thought as time was up we would kick the ball out.

Sarries lost but didn't get a bonus point so we are now 2nd, all we need to do is get a 5 point win in our remaining 6 matches and we are assured of a home semi. Joking aside a semi final place, home or away, is now ours to lose.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:02:25:18:14:18 by Otter Supper.

MESSAGES->author
Lowerwatha
25/02/2017 19:48
MoM for me was Joe Simmonds, Tackled above his weight and threw some lovely passes and made a couple of good breaks. A bright future for this young man. Jack Maunder also did well against an experienced scrum half.
Reflink was@#$%&all afternoon with either constant interference or being hardly able to hear what what was going on, which just abouts describes the ref!

Zyder head
Zyder head
25/02/2017 20:36
Echo most of the sentiments above.
Joe Simmonds was excellent I thought in very difficult circumstances.
Obviously under a bit of pressure with difficult boots to fill and a strong Sandy Park wind to contend with he looked composed throughout and great to see Will Hooley back on a pitch,especially with that excellent grubber.
5 points against a tough improving outfit with us missing key players is a great result even though the performance was slightly below par.
The biggest improvement was in defence. Falcons had lots of possession but we kept knocking them back which was good to see.
Final word to the Falcons and Dean Richards.
He is not everyones cup of tea but credit where credit is due,he is building a decent outfit there which is easy on the eye. They do like to play and as we saw they can score tries from anywhere.
They are much improved and I really enjoy watching them play.
That passage of play where they blew a try at our end and Shorty scored at the other was maybe the match decider as it was a 14 point swing.
Hopefully they can take some points off some of our rivals before the season is out.

mommentum
mommentum
25/02/2017 21:18
MoM for me was Mitch Lees, he did so much work. Not the best ever game to watch but a very good win and look solid in second half

chief in exile
chief in exile
25/02/2017 21:58
Poor defence in the first half and players not trusting the defensive system and stepping in. Newcastle exploited us in the outside channels but recited at half time. Devoto looking good at 12.

Currychief
Currychef
25/02/2017 23:48
Mitch Lees was MoM for me too although huge admiration for Joe Somminds performance.
Agreed, Newcastle are looking lively these days. I hope they end up in top 6

NorfolkFalcon
NorfolkFalcon
26/02/2017 07:34
Well done yesterday guys. Your forwards sucked the life out of us second half which was a big factor behind your win. Was impressed by all your players especially Mitch Lees. Could do with a few of those sized guys in our pack!

chiefswatcher
chiefswatcher
26/02/2017 07:55
Does anyone know who nominates the man of the match? It would be good to see some of the hard yard merchants get some recognition. I too thought Mitch Lees was the standout player yesterday and would have got my vote.

Brent1
Brent1
26/02/2017 08:56
Mitch Lees has become a bit of a Don Armand .... Team always functions well with them in it. We miss his bulk when he isn't there ... Particularly with Ewers out....and for a 19st lump he can't half shift ... Fair play.
Only concern, he has played a lot of rugby we may need to rest him a bit to have him ready for the final push.

MESSAGES->author
Lowerwatha
26/02/2017 10:40
Our defence in the second half was superb, I can't remember Falcons getting into our 22.
Our discipline was very good throughout, we only conceded 4 penalties and two of them were for dodgy high tackle decisions. Our set piece was also very good, we dominated the scrum and if their scrum half had not put the feed directly to their No.8, we would have won numerous scrum penalties.
The disappointing thing for me was the number of knock-ons and forward passes, but the strong wind may have been a contributory factor.
Three games now were we have given the opposition an early lead and come back to draw one and win two, great to watch but we have to start to switch on from minute one, our stock of get out of jail cards must be getting low!

andy15
andy15
26/02/2017 14:39
Mitch Lees is the standout player of the season for me fantastic every week

ExTeddChief
ExTeddChief
26/02/2017 15:11
Very messy first half but the right result in the end - couldn't ask for more from Joe on his Prem debut and despite everything we're now best of the rest behind Wasps! Not so bad! smiling smiley

Master Chief
Master Chief
27/02/2017 02:54
Agree with everything said above.

Slow start but after that the defensive sets the team put in were very good and won us the game.

Agree that Mitch Lees had a great game and that we are simply not the same side without him. Can't wait to get Ewers back into the same team as him. A pack with Lees, Ewers and LCD could well win us some silverware.

All the young guys once again had good games.. Maunder, Simmonds and Skinner. And I have to once again pick out Stuart Townsend who when he came on added real zip to the game. For me he has to have the best pass of any of our scrum halfs, it's like a bullet.

I thought Harry Williams had a great game also. He is possibly our third choice tight head but IMHO he has the potential to be better than both Francis and Holmes. He dominated the scrum yesterday and offers so much in the loose. He works hard, makes a lot of tackles and given his size could become a real carrying threat in the tight.

I also thought that Parling has had possibly his best spell of games with us. He looks to have more energy and determination in both attack and defence than we have seen. Despite his age it is a real shame that he is looking to leave. If he does then we will need to sign a top quality replacement. I'm a big fan of Jonny Hill but we won't quite have the strength in depth in the second row as we do in other positions.

And finally I thought that Whitten had a good game. I prefer him at 12 but he always seems to make a lot of hard yards for us. Our game is built around our strong carrying and with Whitten in the team he takes some of the pressure off of the forwards. He is so strong and nuggety that it always takes 2 or 3 players to take him down. He offers real balance to a backline which is otherwise far more about pace and guile.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:02:27:07:14:50 by Master Chief.

Axe Chief
Axe Chief
27/02/2017 11:20
Agree entirely MC. Lees, Armand, Whitten & Waldron (now that he has stopped scoring tries!) are a group of players that are not particularly standout, but just do a lot of the hard miles very well. When they are missing it does show.
The MOM on Saturday could have gone to several players, but Shorty was an easy choice, and least we forget his first try came at very critical time. There was no other player on either side that could have scored it.
From Saturday I wanted to mention a couple from either end of their career's. First the youngsters Jack & Joe. Obviously they have plenty more to learn, but against a big, abrasive side always looked comfortable. I don't think they were guilty of those three breaks made through the middle by Falcons. Joe did plenty of blocks and checks. Well, after all they are only 4th choice in the The Chiefs standing. Mind Jack has two Internationals at 5th & 6th breathing down his back!
Now the oldies. First Kai Hortsmann. What a reliable squad member. He was only ever cover for the main 23, but has often come in at critical times, as on Saturday, and has always been a solid performer. Several of us totally agree with MC about my second oldie Geoff Parling. If the rumour mill is correct that he might be leaving he didn't half put his body on the line. Very safe in the line-out (notwithstanding some of JY's arrows!), but he seemed to be the most willing carrier of the team into some very heavy contacts. Because The Falcons are built very much in the image of their boss, big, broad and abrasive!
Perhaps the same could be said of The Chiefs squad?

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