Match Preview

 Newbury Blues v Exeter Chiefs

A guaranteed 5 points – well that’s what I believed last year in the corresponding fixture. Exeter were again flying high but were coming up against a Newbury side who had come close to beating Northampton on their home turf! A real Jekyll and Hyde side. But for 40 minutes of the 2nd half I had to endure watching my team outplayed by a supposedly weaker team and eventually succumb 25 – 20, a real blow.

This season is no different for Newbury, if anything in a worse position than last with a new coach and an almost completely new line up. Yet they have managed to grind out results which haven’t quite raised them above that all important 4th bottom place but has given them a fighting chance of doing so. But now begins a period when Newbury play most of the top clubs week after week, starting with Exeter, they then have Leeds, Cornish Pirates, Bedford and Doncaster in successive weeks. So a tough 5 weeks is ahead of them!

One of the reasons for Chiefs undoing last season was a crop of loan signings from bigger clubs who on the day put together a decent performance.

Once again they have a crop of loan signings. Including, Back row forward Chevvy Pennycook from Bristol, his team mate number 8 James Phillips and Prop Nathan Catt from Bath.
Despite this talent, the club suffers from inconsistency. At times they have played some good rugby, holding bigger teams such as Nottingham at bay for much of the match. But in the end they have lacked the experience and fitness to finish the bigger clubs off.

And so I expect it to be on Saturday. Exeter are a completely different proposition from last season, with a single minded desire to reach the premiership and all players briefed in their contribution to that cause. I am expecting to see a number of changes to the side that last weekend played the best game of rugby I have seen Exeter play, this season. There will be both tactical and forced changes from injury, but in the end Exeter should prove too powerful for Newbury. But then again I thought that last year! Anyway look forward to welcoming you all to my adopted town and no doubt sharing a beer or two in the bar afterwards while watching England.

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