NPR

Kawazaki wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:24 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 3:51 pm Good bonus point win for Wasps
I called this one for Chiefs, had no idea thay had rested so many players!!

1. Hepburn A.
2. Yeandle J. (C)
3. Street M.
4. Witty W.
5. Armand D.
6. Ewers D.
7. Capstick R.
8. Simmonds S.
9. Hidalgo-Clyne S.
10. Simmonds J.
11. Whitten I.
12. Devoto O.
13. Hendrickson T.
14. Woodburn O.
15. O'Flaherty T.


Have they rested loads of players? Looks a fairly close approximation to a first XV to me. Skinner, Slade, Gray and Hogg missing.

As well as LCD Hill Williams Kirsten
So half their starting XV really

The pack's definitely got whiff of B team about it, but that's close to a first choice back line I think.

Not without an element of that ourselves. West, T. Willis and Gaskell (especially in the back row) aren't first choice picks.

Like that decision, don’t be a bellend

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:58 pm Like that decision, don’t be a bellend

Yep, need lots more to stamp it out.

Really intelligent 2 mins of rugby from Ross

Such a pity that Rees Zammit is Welsh

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:31 pm The pack's definitely got whiff of B team about it, but that's close to a first choice back line I think.

Not without an element of that ourselves. West, T. Willis and Gaskell (especially in the back row) aren't first choice picks.

Whitten on the wing and no slade or hogg??

Try for me I think.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:28 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:31 pm The pack's definitely got whiff of B team about it, but that's close to a first choice back line I think.

Not without an element of that ourselves. West, T. Willis and Gaskell (especially in the back row) aren't first choice picks.

Whitten on the wing and no slade or hogg??

Whitten's played quite a bit on the wing for them this season and he's rarely not in the 23 in some capacity. I did say close to rather than actually, first choice.

Simmonds, Woodburn, O'Flaherty, Devoto all definitely number 1 picks. Maunder's probably ahead of Hidalgo-Clyne, but the latter's very much a matchday 23 mainstay.

Being in the 23 doesn't make you first choice.

It's not a criticism of an excellent wasps display to say it was a largely second choice Exeter side.

Forgot to mention no Nowell, either.

Take the 3! Madness

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:42 pm Being in the 23 doesn't make you first choice.

It's not a criticism of an excellent wasps display to say it was a largely second choice Exeter side.

No, but if you regularly or even typically are part of the matchday squad, it means you're hardly some nobody squad player they've dredged up out of nowhere either which is often what people think of when we start dealing with terms like seconds, B team etc.

Given how frequently Nowell's absent through injury, do we still count him in a first choice line up?

It all gets a bit murky, when we've played so much through international periods and once injuries are considered too. I'd say Odogwu isn't a first choice player, but injuries at centre and now wing have had him in every matchday squad so far this season iirc, usually as a starter.

On Nowell, the Exeter site has him down as playing loads more minutes this season than O'Flaherty, Woodburn, Whitten... So yeah, I don't think he's anything other than first choice.

Their site stats are weird, mind.

Christ, that new Glaws 9 looks younger than Randall.

Nagle-Taylor has been impressive every time I've seen him.

They surely have to take points here?

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:01 pm On Nowell, the Exeter site has him down as playing loads more minutes this season than O'Flaherty, Woodburn, Whitten... So yeah, I don't think he's anything other than first choice.

Their site stats are weird, mind.

He's been out since surgery at the end of the last one, though? That's really odd.

Dan Du Preez got away with one there. Ugly tackle

How on earth are they not looking at that Du Preez ‘tackle’?

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:05 pm How on earth are they not looking at that Du Preez ‘tackle’?

that is ridiculous; & as with a lot of these, so unnecessary

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:05 pm How on earth are they not looking at that Du Preez ‘tackle’?

They did, he wraps his arms, goes very low, and seems to hit the back rather than the head. It's nasty, but nothing wrong that I could see?

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:04 pm

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:01 pm On Nowell, the Exeter site has him down as playing loads more minutes this season than O'Flaherty, Woodburn, Whitten... So yeah, I don't think he's anything other than first choice.

Their site stats are weird, mind.

He's been out since surgery at the end of the last one, though? That's really odd.

Yeah their numbers are weird. I'm sure you're right, I just can't find a source to say so!

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:08 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:05 pm How on earth are they not looking at that Du Preez ‘tackle’?

They did, he wraps his arms, goes very low, and seems to hit the back rather than the head. It's nasty, but nothing wrong that I could see?

The guy is already on the floor and DdP twats him in the back of the neck with his shoulder

Barbeary, Shields, Mills, Kibirige, Minozzi could all easy be in a Wasps 23 you'd think. But then I'd still agree that the difference for Wasps would have been less than the difference for chiefs.

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:08 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:05 pm How on earth are they not looking at that Du Preez ‘tackle’?

They did, he wraps his arms, goes very low, and seems to hit the back rather than the head. It's nasty, but nothing wrong that I could see?

Looked like a flying shoulder to the head of a defenceless player to me.

Has it been established why Diamond left ?

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:12 pm

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:08 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:05 pm How on earth are they not looking at that Du Preez ‘tackle’?

They did, he wraps his arms, goes very low, and seems to hit the back rather than the head. It's nasty, but nothing wrong that I could see?

Looked like a flying shoulder to the head of a defenceless player to me.

Looks like an attempted tackle, very low, hitting the shoulder to me on a dropping player. Very nasty, unnecessary, but I don't know how easily you could argue it was illegal.

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:13 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:12 pm

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:08 pm

They did, he wraps his arms, goes very low, and seems to hit the back rather than the head. It's nasty, but nothing wrong that I could see?

Looked like a flying shoulder to the head of a defenceless player to me.

Looks like an attempted tackle, very low, hitting the shoulder to me on a dropping player. Very nasty, unnecessary, but I don't know how easily you could argue it was illegal.

On height alone it's a dreadful tackle. The shoulder, the fact that the player was already on the floor, and the damage are all just additional problems.

Water carrier gets more than he bargained for trying to kill the game. Move on

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:16 pm Water carrier gets more than he bargained for trying to kill the game. Move on

He did kill the game. Hope he gets a fine.

Gloucester will feel aggrieved but they played an awful lot of loose rugby whilst holding a small lead

Eventful end to this game. Not sure the pen against Glaws is a fair result for non-playing staff actively intervening in the match

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:09 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:04 pm

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:01 pm On Nowell, the Exeter site has him down as playing loads more minutes this season than O'Flaherty, Woodburn, Whitten... So yeah, I don't think he's anything other than first choice.

Their site stats are weird, mind.

He's been out since surgery at the end of the last one, though? That's really odd.

Yeah their numbers are weird. I'm sure you're right, I just can't find a source to say so!

Just had a quick flick through the match reports on their site, Nowell definitely hasn't featured this season in the Prem. And Whitten has started all 5 games, centre rather than wing on most occasions.

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:19 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:16 pm Water carrier gets more than he bargained for trying to kill the game. Move on

He did kill the game. Hope he gets a fine.

Yeah I’m surprised Gloucester didn’t get that pen. If 36 had lamped him I’d feel differently

Not sure what the commentators were going on about with that melee

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:21 pm Not sure what the commentators were going on about with that melee

Have to assume they saw something from Yarde that the replays didn't show, since they seemed to focus just on 36.

Raggs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 7:26 pm

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:21 pm Not sure what the commentators were going on about with that melee

Have to assume they saw something from Yarde that the replays didn't show, since they seemed to focus just on 36.

He got dragged by the head/neck by a substitute, from what I saw. But they were banging on about a "headbutt" from "someone" "somewhere". Sounded like they were really keen for something to have happened.

& one other from the game

At some point surely players will start practicing tackling lower when under pressure

Another weekend another thick Saffa getting a card.

Should've been red imo. Closer to a clothesline than a tackle.

Healy and Kay playing it down Those two shouldn't be allowed to do Leicester games at all, let alone together.

Nice try from Spencer.

England’s best scrum half scoring there

Do you think Eddie Jones watches games like this and thinks - "yep, Ben Youngs is the best scrumhalf in England. Confirmed."