BOUNCEBACKABILITY: EXETER CHIEFS V BATH RUGBY

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Optimist
I think if Exeter are weakened, I'd almost tend towards going absolutely full bore and - as far as is possible - guaranteeing a win. Securing 5 points from this one would pretty much allow JVG to then approach selection for the final 3 league games in whatever way he wants.

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BathMatt53
Whilst Butt does like to break a tackle and offload and he doesn’t have the 10 playmaking ability of Max, his hands and vision are actually pretty good. Plus 12 is his main position. I would definitely play Butt vs Exe.

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Bath Hammer
We want to select the best team to do the job. That doesn’t necessarily mean go as strong as possible in all positions. We need the players to be fit, fresh & raring to go. Not all those who turned out against Bordeaux will be even if uninjured.

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OutsideBath
I'd be surprised if JvG goes full strength as he tends to not do this for PL away fixtures.

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makeitagem
I would leave Lawrence out of the team, seems to have lost pace since his injury, butt and Redpath for me.

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makeitagem
I would leave Lawrence out of the team, seems to have lost pace since his injury, butt and Redpath for me.

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shipwrecked

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makeitagem
I would leave Lawrence out of the team, seems to have lost pace since his injury, butt and Redpath for me.

Ollie Lawrence might have made a full recovery from his Achilles injury it can take over a year to recover the the same strength in the calf muscles, so he may still be recovering.

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Dorset Boy
Hennessy has barely played 13 for us, he has been deployed on the wing generally, sunday excepted.

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Dorset Boy
Hennessy has barely played 13 for us, he has been deployed on the wing generally, sunday excepted.

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BathMatt53

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Dorset Boy
Hennessy has barely played 13 for us, he has been deployed on the wing generally, sunday excepted.

OK he has been brilliant when on the field for Bath, with whatever number on his back and generally wherever hs is standing. I have been massively impressed at how he has improved this year (bulked out a bit?).

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Dorset Boy

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BathMatt53

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Dorset Boy
Hennessy has barely played 13 for us, he has been deployed on the wing generally, sunday excepted.

OK he has been brilliant when on the field for Bath, with whatever number on his back and generally wherever hs is standing. I have been massively impressed at how he has improved this year (bulked out a bit?).

I agree, he has really stepped up in the last few weeks

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Widcombe boy
I’m probably wrong but does our current way of attacking suit Lawrence’s skills. We seem to line up very flat, which negates his power when running a hard line and busting through defenders?

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Optimist
I agree gaz - you've got to love an outside centre who has sufficient gas to play on the wing. Pair that with Donoghue at 10 ... absolutely nightmare to defend!!

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BathRob
Given their injuries in the pack I could see us giving a start to Kirk/Frost/Griffin up front.

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Ali1969
Love that selection - back to the Bomb Bench - 2 strong teams hopefully good weather and a cracking match - Come on Bath.

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theredseat

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Ali1969
Love that selection - back to the Bomb Bench - 2 strong teams hopefully good weather and a cracking match - Come on Bath.

Yep looks good to me. Nice to see Hill at 6

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Chief Bert
Chiefs fan in peace, most of us down the M5 are predicting a BP win for you with hopefully an LBP for us but I'm not to confident of that. Your squad is arguably the strongest in the Prem. Let's hope for an entertaining game either way and that Mr Dickson has a "quiet" game.

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Barfboy
Even without IFW, there's still lots of players in that backline capable of causing us problems. Imagine their young winger will be particularly keen to make amends after corresponding fixture in Jan.
Big issue for them (and majority of our domestic opponents) will be making the most of the first 40/50mins because they know what's coming in the second half.

With home advantage, I could see them going in ahead at HT but they will have to be clinical in our 22 and probably need the rub of the green from Dickson - both of those things are eminently possible.

Looking forward to it - play-off picture should be a lot clearer on Sunday evening!

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Barfboy
Even without IFW, there's still lots of players in that backline capable of causing us problems. Imagine their young winger will be particularly keen to make amends after corresponding fixture in Jan.

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Charlieboa1
Etoro predictor has us by 3 points.
Would v happily take that!

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BathMatt53

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Barfboy
Even without IFW, there's still lots of players in that backline capable of causing us problems. Imagine their young winger will be particularly keen to make amends after corresponding fixture in Jan.
Big issue for them (and majority of our domestic opponents) will be making the most of the first 40/50mins because they know what's coming in the second half.

With home advantage, I could see them going in ahead at HT but they will have to be clinical in our 22 and probably need the rub of the green from Dickson - both of those things are eminently possible.

Looking forward to it - play-off picture should be a lot clearer on Sunday evening!

It was the other way around at our place IIRC, they came back really strongly after the Ridl 20 min red and actually won the rest of the game.

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Barfboy

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BathMatt53

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Barfboy
Even without IFW, there's still lots of players in that backline capable of causing us problems. Imagine their young winger will be particularly keen to make amends after corresponding fixture in Jan.
Big issue for them (and majority of our domestic opponents) will be making the most of the first 40/50mins because they know what's coming in the second half.

With home advantage, I could see them going in ahead at HT but they will have to be clinical in our 22 and probably need the rub of the green from Dickson - both of those things are eminently possible.

Looking forward to it - play-off picture should be a lot clearer on Sunday evening!

It was the other way around at our place IIRC, they came back really strongly after the Ridl 20 min red and actually won the rest of the game.

That's why I said majority - 60% of the time, it works every time.

Seriously though, we won the league with the Bomb Squad tactic and - generally speaking - most teams struggle to cope with it.

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Barfboy

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BathMatt53

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Barfboy
Even without IFW, there's still lots of players in that backline capable of causing us problems. Imagine their young winger will be particularly keen to make amends after corresponding fixture in Jan.
Big issue for them (and majority of our domestic opponents) will be making the most of the first 40/50mins because they know what's coming in the second half.

With home advantage, I could see them going in ahead at HT but they will have to be clinical in our 22 and probably need the rub of the green from Dickson - both of those things are eminently possible.

Looking forward to it - play-off picture should be a lot clearer on Sunday evening!

It was the other way around at our place IIRC, they came back really strongly after the Ridl 20 min red and actually won the rest of the game.

That's why I said majority - 60% of the time, it works every time.

Seriously though, we won the league with the Bomb Squad tactic and - generally speaking - most teams struggle to cope with it.

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Barfboy
That's why I said majority - 60% of the time, it works every time.

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Charlieboa1
Etoro predictor has us by 3 points.
Would v happily take that!

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BathMatt53
Wow. Batley head butted Itoje and it’s a dynamic accident and Roux gets a 20 min red…

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A.M 180
Opposition with the obligatory double digit head start

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Barnoid
Consistency...?

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Toast and Marmite
Spencer having a shocker- absolutely ridiculous that’s missed touch and leads to conceding

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Dorset Boy
What is the TMO thinking? That's ball onto head.

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Dorset Boy
What a disaster of a weekend.
Exeter have shown how to play into the wind this half and thoroughly deserve their win.

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A.M 180
When was the last time we lost three on the bounce?

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Florida97

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A.M 180
When was the last time we lost three on the bounce?

Early JVG days?

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A.M 180
God I want to know when Max is back. We are impotent without him. When he's fit, I'd rather see Cam outside him than Lawrence on current form

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Toast and Marmite

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A.M 180
God I want to know when Max is back. We are impotent without him. When he's fit, I'd rather see Cam outside him than Lawrence on current form

Not sure he was responsible for the forward pack turning over ball or our half backs having a shocker

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A.M 180

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Toast and Marmite

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A.M 180
God I want to know when Max is back. We are impotent without him. When he's fit, I'd rather see Cam outside him than Lawrence on current form

Not sure he was responsible for the forward pack turning over ball or our half backs having a shocker

I'm not saying he was - it was more about feeling we need Max back and how that would look

We currently seem to put so much on our pack because we don't seem to have much in the locker out wide. Unfortunately, our pack is going through a @#$%& storm when it comes to lineouts

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OutsideBath
Could it be that we expended so much getting to the CC semis we had nothing left to give today?

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OutsideBath
Could it be that we expended so much getting to the CC semis we had nothing left to give today?

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memnoch
You had one job Bath.

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A.M 180

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OutsideBath
Could it be that we expended so much getting to the CC semis we had nothing left to give today?

Incredibly worrying if that's the reason

We have a ridiculously deep squad, and injuries aren't as bad compared to most clubs around the league.

I will chalk today off to a dip after last Sunday but hard not to think we've put needless pressure on ourselves for the remainder of the season

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PaulHerox
Silver-lining, you've upset an awful lot of Bears and Saracens supporters.

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TomReagan

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memnoch
You had one job Bath.

Cheers memnoch - important to remember that every cloud has a silver lining!!

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OutsideBath

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TomReagan

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memnoch
You had one job Bath.

Cheers memnoch - important to remember that every cloud has a silver lining!!

Definitely morale boosting, but it would have been equally hilarious to see Bristol go to Saints in the semi and get an absolute stuffing.

I think many on here are forgetting the mental toll of failing in the main objective for the club this season.

Wonder if Tigers are now favourites for 2nd given they have the momentum.

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Florida97
Ollie Lawrence doesn't seem to have gotten his form back or his speed from the achilles tear. We don't seem to be at the races, hopefully next week will be a full reset. Best to get this game out of the way now then later down the road.

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Barfboy
Hate to say it but Lawrence came back in Sept from that ACL. We're now in May and I can't recall a standout game from him.
A far cry from the guy who won Player of the Season in '23 amd played so well the following year.

Some players (particularly those wirh explosive pace) just aren't the same after such injuries.

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shipwrecked

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Barfboy
Hate to say it but Lawrence came back in Sept from that ACL. We're now in May and I can't recall a standout game from him.
A far cry from the guy who won Player of the Season in '23 amd played so well the following year.

Some players (particularly those wirh explosive pace) just aren't the same after such injuries.

Not really BB he came back from a ruptured Achilles early, as stated elsewhere whilst the Achilles might have healed full fitness can take a good 12 -18 months after surgery. It's only been just over a year. If Hennessy was fit I'm not sure if he would have played.

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Bath Hammer
Think yourselves lucky. At least most of you aren’t West Ham supporters 😡 At least Essex won 🙄

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Bath Hammer
Think yourselves lucky. At least most of you aren’t West Ham supporters 😡 At least Essex won 🙄

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Dorset Boy

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Bath Hammer
Think yourselves lucky. At least most of you aren’t West Ham supporters 😡 At least Essex won 🙄

Ypu were robbed. So many fouls by Arsenal at that corner, all ignored, for a minor one on their keeper.
Arsenal seem allowed to wrestle the opposition at every corner with impunity, particularlty one D Rice.

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Charlieboa1
Raises some interesting selection decisions for remainder of season.
I think roux has been on the slide a bit this season but no obvious options at TH lock- assume we will need to plump for someone now as assume he is banned and/ or injured

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theredseat

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Charlieboa1
Raises some interesting selection decisions for remainder of season.
I think roux has been on the slide a bit this season but no obvious options at TH lock- assume we will need to plump for someone now as assume he is banned and/ or injured

I would expect it to be Molony if Roux is missing beyond the Newcastle game but I'd like to see us try Ewels and Richards with Hill at 6. You lose some heft in the row but I wonder if the trade off for some dynamism and line out jumping is worth it.

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Widcombe boy
SW I thought Kepu threw in well yesterday, unfortunately he de a dummy throw just when we had some momentum. A score from that Lineout may have changed things.

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dr.bath1865
Roux was a tad unlucky, but the right decision.

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Barfboy
Roux is indeed the head scratcher - maybe the one problem JvG has yet to solve. Obviously quite glad we didn't go for Snyman now, but we are very dependent on a 35y/o tighthead lock with little to no back up. Prospect of Ewels/Molony up against Chessum/Martin doesn't fill me with confidence.

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The Bear

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dr.bath1865
Roux was a tad unlucky, but the right decision.

It goes without saying: I'm not blaming the ref for interpreteling the laws correctly not am I implying that it would alter the result.

But, I don't know. I've watched it far too many times and its clearly taken Roux by surprise and, if anything, Slade is the more dynamic actor in the collision and has headbutted him.

Like, what is the objective of this sanctioning. Do we want to be penalising people for standing upright while an upright player collides with them? Do we always need to assume that the attacker has no part to play in head collisions too?

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Dorset Boy

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The Bear

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dr.bath1865
Roux was a tad unlucky, but the right decision.

It goes without saying: I'm not blaming the ref for interpreteling the laws correctly not am I implying that it would alter the result.

But, I don't know. I've watched it far too many times and its clearly taken Roux by surprise and, if anything, Slade is the more dynamic actor in the collision and has headbutted him.

Like, what is the objective of this sanctioning. Do we want to be penalising people for standing upright while an upright player collides with them? Do we always need to assume that the attacker has no part to play in head collisions too?

For Roux to get a 20 minute red when there was a change of direction from Slade, albeit it small, highlights the massive inconsistencies between refs - swinging arm direct to head at a ruck in the Tigers game, and charging into a ruck leading with the head by Batley on Itoje in the Bristol game were far, far worse and yet barely sanctioned.
Both ARs told Dickson that a yellow was sufficient for Roux, but no, he just had to show who was the boss.

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Dorset Boy
For Roux to get a 20 minute red when there was a change of direction from Slade, albeit it small, highlights the massive inconsistencies between refs - swinging arm direct to head at a ruck in the Tigers game, and charging into a ruck leading with the head by Batley on Itoje in the Bristol game were far, far worse and yet barely sanctioned.

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The Bear
Do we want to be penalising people for standing upright while an upright player collides with them? Do we always need to assume that the attacker has no part to play in head collisions too?

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Dan Wiley

If we do always look at the tacklers height, regardless of head contact, then yes the attackers actions are usually irrelevant, unless they do something to put their head in the tacklers headspace. If they don't do that we're in the place the research wants us to be, two heads, never at the same height.

The short answer is to implement the grassroots laws. I do have a slight issue with them in that I don't think a carrier should be able to drop their height in a way that makes the tackle harder and more dangerous, that's neither safe nor fair. Put another way, it should be "Low" not "Late and low." But I'd take some action on this by world rugby at this point. No doubt they'll introduce another card to be reviewed by a new official stationed on the moon.

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BathRob
I don’t think anyone complains about a yellow, but I also don’t think it changes that result at all we were so outplayed so I guess it’s a move on…

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dr.bath1865
Am I missing something in the report- but wouldn't Roux's attendance of tackle school mean he only gets a 2 game ban? (6 games mitigated by 50% to 3 games, minus 1 for tackle school). So he'd miss Bristol and Leicester (#1) but back for the semi final?