Exeter Chiefs

If you’re still looking for the reason why he left, I don’t think you need to look any further than our current Academy Coach. In my opinion, he is the reason for the sterility of our backs play in the past.

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Chief Fire Water
I went to he match znd it was the same old issues so much promise very little delivered.
After listening to Robs interview It leaves me fearful this season.. I don't now if any other club is going into the start of the season with so many 1st choice players injured as we have, and the replacements are of a very average standard.

With the very disappointing news Helpher will still be at the club I think it will be the same old excuses. With Newcastle improving we must be favourite to finsh bottom.

I hope I'm wrong.

Saints fan in peace . As we have you guys first up with your injury situation what would a likely first choice 23 look like against us?

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Saint dolph

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Chief Fire Water
I went to he match znd it was the same old issues so much promise very little delivered.
After listening to Robs interview It leaves me fearful this season.. I don't now if any other club is going into the start of the season with so many 1st choice players injured as we have, and the replacements are of a very average standard.

With the very disappointing news Helpher will still be at the club I think it will be the same old excuses. With Newcastle improving we must be favourite to finsh bottom.

I hope I'm wrong.

Saints fan in peace . As we have you guys first up with your injury situation what would a likely first choice 23 look like against us?

I suspect that the line up won’t look much better than the one at the beginning of this thread. I’m not sure if any of our broken first-choice back line will be mended by the time we come up to you, so whilst we might give you a decent game up front we may struggle with the running around stuff! Even so, I’m looking forward to my trip up to Franklin’s Gardens, it’s always a great day out and the kebab shop over the road is legendary!

In the meantime, of course, we’ve got to endure a trip to the Rec next weekend and just hope that no more of our players get broken…

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SixNineOne

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Saint dolph

Quote:

Chief Fire Water
I went to he match znd it was the same old issues so much promise very little delivered.
After listening to Robs interview It leaves me fearful this season.. I don't now if any other club is going into the start of the season with so many 1st choice players injured as we have, and the replacements are of a very average standard.

With the very disappointing news Helpher will still be at the club I think it will be the same old excuses. With Newcastle improving we must be favourite to finsh bottom.


I hope I'm wrong.

Saints fan in peace . As we have you guys first up with your injury situation what would a likely first choice 23 look like against us?

I suspect that the line up won’t look much better than the one at the beginning of this thread. I’m not sure if any of our broken first-choice back line will be mended by the time we come up to you, so whilst we might give you a decent game up front we may struggle with the running around stuff! Even so, I’m looking forward to my trip up to Franklin’s Gardens, it’s always a great day out and the kebab shop over the road is legendary!

In the meantime, of course, we’ve got to endure a trip to the Rec next weekend and just hope that no more of our players get broken…

Ahh ok well let's hope to a good game . I thought i read henry slade would be fit for our match. Has waboso injured himself again then as I thought he had recovered??

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Saint dolph
Ahh ok well let's hope to a good game . I thought i read henry slade would be fit for our match. Has waboso injured himself again then as I thought he had recovered??

There was an interview with RB where he said IFW and Slade should become available during the Prem Cup window. Hopefully that means both will be available by the time we visit the Gardens. Unless England decide they're not to play I guess.

First game with an under strength team out, one try short of 2 points in an away game and set piece doing ok. Seems ok to me so far.
Don't know why Mark Stevens and others keep going on about a lack of an international 10 - we've never had one and done well without one as I recall. Coen can't be rushed. Just a minority view I guess.

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Grandstand Viewer
First game with an under strength team out, one try short of 2 points in an away game and set piece doing ok. Seems ok to me so far.
Don't know why Mark Stevens and others keep going on about a lack of an international 10 - we've never had one and done well without one as I recall. Coen can't be rushed. Just a minority view I guess.

We've not had an international 10 before, but the 10s we've had have been better than Skinner has turned out to be. At nearly 28 and over 120 appearances he's not developed as I'm sure we all hoped.

Yes, it was a make do and mend back line on Friday night, but they were living on scraps. When we've Slade and Ikitau available, reportedly costing us about £800k for the season, they need someone good enough to create chances/get good clean ball to them.

Haydon-Wood should be given the chance at 10 if we're not going to play Coen.

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ExeterFan

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Grandstand Viewer
First game with an under strength team out, one try short of 2 points in an away game and set piece doing ok. Seems ok to me so far.
Don't know why Mark Stevens and others keep going on about a lack of an international 10 - we've never had one and done well without one as I recall. Coen can't be rushed. Just a minority view I guess.

We've not had an international 10 before, but the 10s we've had have been better than Skinner has turned out to be. At nearly 28 and over 120 appearances he's not developed as I'm sure we all hoped.

Yes, it was a make do and mend back line on Friday night, but they were living on scraps. When we've Slade and Ikitau available, reportedly costing us about £800k for the season, they need someone good enough to create chances/get good clean ball to them.

Haydon-Wood should be given the chance at 10 if we're not going to play Coen.

Sorry to sound a little pessimistic here and derail the Coen bandwagon, but he's played 3 games for the Chiefs and his tackling is simply not up to the standard required for Prem Rugby and would suggest he could do with time on loan getting used to senior rugby. He played behind a massive dominant pack for 20's when they won the WC but was poor this year behind a not so dominant pack. I hope I'm wrong and he comes through as we're desperate for a good 10 or we need to sign someone next year when contracts end. Skinner for all his faults I would suggest is probably Chiefs top tackler in most games and it appears this is how they want their 10'S to play as another back row forward.

I doubt whether basing opinions on U 20's form is a decision for the future. Give him some time for heavens sake. To keep criticising Harvey will not do his confidence any good and he is picked for his strengths as has been stated - tackling and kicking from hand, his passing is sound.
World class no 10's are high price and in some cases a bit of a luxury. What did Marcus S do last year. I for one am prepared to wait a whole season. Probably in the second half we will get some better idea where we are.

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Grandstand Viewer
I doubt whether basing opinions on U 20's form is a decision for the future. Give him some time for heavens sake. To keep criticising Harvey will not do his confidence any good and he is picked for his strengths as has been stated - tackling and kicking from hand, his passing is sound.
World class no 10's are high price and in some cases a bit of a luxury. What did Marcus S do last year. I for one am prepared to wait a whole season. Probably in the second half we will get some better idea where we are.

Thanks GV - well said. Last season was not hat we wanted, nor expected. This season should not be looked at now as a continuation of that either, although I do see the benefits of us being better than expected!
I remain hopeful that we'll get some good results this year ... Both on the field and in the boardroom. TR says we're near the cap. Let's see the balance sheet turn black and put us back on the solid foundation we were on BC (before COVID)

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In Rob we trust.
By the way - cream on first. There's nothing to debate.