Match Preview: Discipline is Chief
By Ed Scott
September 16 2011
This week we welcome table topping Exeter Chiefs to the Rec for the first of our West Country clashes. Last season, many thought that Exeter were destined to become the whipping boys of the Premiership, but people could not have been more wrong. This will be a titanic battle. If we come out with four points, it would definitely be classed as a hard earned victory.
Being stuck at a wedding on the weekend meant that I missed the first home game of the season against Saracens. While the canapés were being handed out, I snuck into the main house to pick up their wireless and my Sky go on the iPhone. To my joy I was able to see that we were one point ahead, with the ball, and a minute left on the clock. As I then watched it all crumble away in front of me, I trudged back to the fray and drank my sorrows away. I am still not over it.
In an attempt to move on, we must try and forget about the disappointment of last week and concentrate on Saturday. Exeter pose a highly physical threat and have already taken the scalps of Leicester (at Welford Road no less) and Newcastle. If we are not careful they will be three from three and we will start to talk again about a season of underachievement. I'm not being dramatic, I simply feel that if we want to go anywhere this season we must first start by winning our home games, and particularly make sure that we beat those teams who we would expect to finish above in the table.
Exeter are a canny outfit and their strengths play almost exactly against our weaknesses. The key issue we have found this season is a propensity to give away far too many penalties, mostly at the breakdown, and often in our own half. Exeter will take it to us up front and will be highly competitive at the ruck. They have a very combatative back row, with James Scaysbrook likely to be hugely motivated, coupled with Tom Johnson (who I'm sure will be in the England EPS next season) in great form. If we start to lose that battle there is a large chance the penalties will start. In Mieres and Steenson, they have two fly halves with high goal kicking stats. If we get penalised in our own half we are likely to see three points tot up on Exeter's scoreboard.
That all said, it's just a warning. I believe that we have the pack to front up to Exeter and the defensive physicality to deal with their direct running backline. For me, as always, quick ball is key. We have game breakers such as Biggs and Abendanon, who can open up any defence, we just need to get them the ball in space. Our own rising England star Carl Fearns and the ever impressive Guy Mercer, will be a match for Johnson and Scaysbrook, with the much needed leadership of Stuart Hooper also looking like returning.
The important thing is not to get dragged into a slow grind but to keep pace on the ball and stretch Exeter. Our set piece is more than a match for theirs, so we just need to keep our heads and play our own game. With home advantage ours, this is a game we would really target to win, but will not be easy. Let's just hope that if we have to cope with another nail biter, it goes our way this time...
Match Preview: Discipline is Chief
Posted by: BathRugbyEre.co.uk (IP Logged)
Date: 16/09/2011 16:46
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:09:18:14:00:54 by Susanne.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:09:18:14:00:54 by Susanne.
Re: Match Preview: Discipline is Chief
Posted by: abendanon-anon-anon (IP Logged)
Date: 16/09/2011 16:53
Interesting and well written piece - I was confident of a win before I read this!
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