Harlequins
Preview: Exeter vs Harlequins
By DOK
October 6 2012
Unfortunately the usual preview wasn’t delivered; the dog ate the homework or some such excuse. Therefore you get an emergency version this week, so be gentle with me! (And I've already added and lost this story once - damned technology!)
Hmm…Exeter vs Harlequins at Sandy Park. Official Martin Fox (82nd Premiership Game). As always, this fixture has banana skin written all over it, despite the fact that Harlequins are unbeaten in their last five away games.
Harlequins make two changes to the team that all but beat Saracens last week. Karl Dickson starts instead of Danny Care and Mark Lambert makes his first start of the season instead of Joe Marler. I’m assuming these are just small rotational changes and not anything more worrying. Both Joe and Danny are on the bench (and what a bench!) so we have the backup if needed. They’ll be fine.
Exeter are looking less rosy. Neither skipper Tom Hayes nor James Scaysbrook nor Chris Whitehead will appear. That’s a bit of a heartbreaker for the first two as it would have been their 50th consecutive Premiership appearance for the club. Instead in come Australian International Dean Mumm for his Chiefs debut, flanker Ben White and hooker Simon Alcott for his first premiership start.
There are also changes in the backs for Exeter as Gareth Steenson starts at 10 instead of Ignacio Mieres and Phil Dolman plays outside centre instead of Sireli Naqelevuki, both of these are on the bench.
Sooooo….Exeter are making bullish noises, but given the changes to the pack and a new scrum half and fly half combination there ought to be something there we can exploit. The weather may have a hand in how the game is played, but if it hasn’t rained before the game we might well be able to get a good running game going.
Looking at our scrum, backs and bench I think that’s about as strong a side as we can put out, so here’s hoping they produce the goods. My one worry is we’re not really making great attacking breaks at the moment, well drilled defences seem to stifle our ability to make those line breaks. I know some of it is down to coaches doing their video analysis, but we need to seize the moment and turn half chances into full scores.
I’m also hoping judicious use of that bench will prove Exeter’s undoing, there’s some real talent there.
Unfortunately I can’t be with the supporters at Sandy Park, but I’ll be listening online and cheering the boys on! COYQ!
Referee: Martin Fox (82nd Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Peter Huckle, Gareth Copsey.
Teams
Exeter Chiefs
15 Luke Arscott , 14 Ian Whitten , 13 Phil Dollman , 12 Jason Shoemark , 11 Matt Jess , 10 Gareth Steenson , 9 Haydn Thomas , 8 Richard Baxter (capt), 7 Ben White , 6 Tom Johnson , 5 James Hanks, 4 Dean Mumm , 3 Carl Rimmer , 2 Simon Alcott ,1 Brett Sturgess
Replacements : 16 Neil Clark , 17 Ben Moon , 18 Chris Budgen , 19 Aly Muldowney , 20 Dave Ewers , 21 Will Chudley , 22 Ignacio Mieres , 23 Sireli Naqelevuki
Harlequins
15 Mike Brown , 14. Seb Stegmann , 13. Matt Hopper , 12. Jordan Turner-Hall , 11. Ugo Monye , 10. Nick Evans , 9. Karl Dickson , 8. Nick Easter, 7. Chris Robshaw (c) , 6. Tom Guest , 5. George Robson , 4. Olly Kohn , 3. James Johnston, 2. Joe Gray ,1. Mark Lambert
Replacements : 16. Rob Buchanan , 17. Joe Marler , 18. Will Collier , 19. Charlie Matthews , 20. Maurie Fa'asavalu , 21. Danny Care , 22. Rory Clegg , 23. Ollie Lindsay-Hague
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I feel strangely confident about this game... 