Bristol Bears vs Exeter Chiefs

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Exeter Chiefs

15 Stuart Hogg
14 Jack Nowell
13 Henry Slade
12 Rory O’Loughlin
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Joe Simmonds
9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Harry Williams
4 Jannes Kirsten
5 Jonny Gray
6 Jaques Vermeulen
7 Christ Tshiunza
8 Richard Capstick

Replacements
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie
17 Josh Iosefa-Scott
18 Patrick Schickerling
19 Ruben van Heerden
20 Dave Ewers
21 Sam Maunder
22 Harvey Skinner
23 Solomone Kata

Bristol Bears

15. Charles Piutau
14. Toby Fricker
13. Piers O'Conor
12. Sam Bedlow
11. Rich Lane
10. Callum Sheedy
9. 21. Harry Randall
1. Ellis Genge
2. Will Capon
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. John Hawkins
5. Joe Joyce
6. Chris Vui
7. Jake Heenan (c)
8. Magnus Bradbury

System players:
16. Jake Kerr
17. Jake Woolmore
18. Max Lahiff
19. Ed Holmes
20. Dan Thomas
21. Tom Whiteley
22. AJ MacGinty
23. Jack Bates

Match Officials

Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: Joe James and Peter Allan.
TMO: David Rose.
Citing Officer: John Byett

Weather Forecast

Clear skies and a gentle breeze from the south west
Temperature will feel like 13 degrees
Low chance of rain

Television Coverage

SD Channel 408 BT Sports 1 from 1900
HD Channel 430 BT Sports 1 from 1900

Good looking side. Its hard to imagine that bears will be as poor as they were against Falcons at the weekend .
.

Bristol Bears’ 100% winning record in Gallagher Premiership Rugby this season ended with their 15-30 loss at Newcastle Falcons last Friday. The Bears have not lost at Ashton Gate in Premiership Rugby since Harlequins were the visitors on 13 March.
Exeter Chiefs four game winning run in Gallagher Premiership Rugby ended with their 20-28 reversal at Sale on Saturday. Exeter have won just once away from home in Premiership Rugby since February: 36- 21 at Worcester Warriors in Round 2.
The last six meetings between the two clubs in Premiership Rugby have been evenly shared with three wins apiece. Exeter have visited Ashton Gate on nine previous occasions against all opponents and have only lost once: 33-40 to Bristol in Premiership Rugby in May. This figure also includes their European Champions Cup final victory over Racing 92 in 2020.

Bears 24 - 30 Chiefs

Bristol 26 Chiefs 31

Bristol 25 Chiefs 28

Seems that Bears are being very canny in playing Genge in home games only at the moment. Imo he’s the most inspirational player in Prem, hence my prediction
Bears 30 Chiefs 26 hope I’m wrong

Hopefully the team will have taken on board the errors of last weekend, so I am expecting a perfect performance and a magnificent victory! Bristol 17 Chiefs 33

Great looking team with a good strong bench.
Bristol 10 - Chiefs 31

Really like the look of that backline, good to have Jack & Joe back at 9/10 to hopefully get the best out of it. If Hepburn and Williams can keep the penalty count down then we could get a very good win. I'm going 19-35.

Bristol 22. Ex 33

Pleased to see Rory given a start. I know he has alternated between outside centre and wing at Leinster and then for us so interesting he is given the nod at 12 over Solomone.
Genge against Harry is the key battle. To this we know how Genge tries to get in to Sirs head through his endless chatter.
Good looking side and the bench looks strong for us.
🤞

Hmmm… Bears 19 Chiefs 36

Fancy us for this one. Bristol 27 - 36 Exeter

Sam Simmonds not playing so I hope he got through that Sale game without his injury flaring up. I will be very interested to see whether our 9/10/12 changes give Slade more ball and space to free our wings. As Rowancroft says Genge is an inspiration for Bristol - Sinkler cannot be as bad as last week and will be 150% motivated, therefore scrum parity at least essential. Ridley is not great at officiating the scrum. Surprised LCD not starting but maybe thinking of the nest two games Wasps and Sarries. Confident of a win providing scrum parity and decent lineouts. I am hoping that our backs run straighter in attack, better aligned in defence and avoid breakdown penalties. Bristol 19 Chiefs 42. We have a strong bench with Ewers and Schickerling especially dangerous fresh at the end of a match - hope we see Kata at some point.

Guessing that they're easing Sam back in and, of course, he, LCD, Pat and Jack have been away with England this week so maybe that's why some are on the bench. Backs look more creative - hopefully they can defend as well.

Bristol 26 Chiefs 34

Never underestimate a friday night it could go either way, but i think the chiefs will pull this off in the second half, 24-19.

Bristol 23 - 28 Exe

Really can't see why big Dave is on the bench, he'd be the first name on the team sheet for me. Not the strongest looking briz line up, so as others have said, if we can hold the scrum up and keep genge quiet we should have enough. Briz 22 Chiefs 34. Hope briz play like last Friday!!

No Grondona in the squad a bit strange for me as I think he has huge potential for us and yes why big Dave not selected is a bit surprising.
Think this could be very close. Bristol 38 Chiefs 39

A lot of comments on the Bristol forum saying they expect us to win well due to last weeks abject performance, a lack of confidence in some of their staring line-up and injuries to some key players.
Personally I think they will raise their game for our visit and that it could be a high scoring close game.
Bristol 26 - 30 Exeter

I really think we need a line breaking 12. I havent watched enough of o'Loughlin so i hope he fits the bill. From what i have seen I think Kata has more potential.

Hopefully Jack will be doing his usual roaming infield and add some punch. I like o'Conor in attack but i think defensively bris are poor across the backline. If we stay on the front foot it should be ok.

I Think after last seasons injuries, the squad is being treated as a whole, so players will not start all games giving a chance to others.
We have a strong squad full of talent, shown by tomorrows choices and on last week proof of the right decision. We will need a fully fit big Dave for matches to come.
Strong side but Bristol are at home, I believe the bench will finish the game strongly.
Bears 19- Chiefs 32



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:10:06:19:53:00 by clalan.

Brizzal 19 Chiefs 41

I take a deliberate disinterest in Bris so would be intrigued to know who they’re missing as their team seems to have a few decent players in it?!
Shane we’re missing Sam from the 23 and hope he’s not out long term…. I’m backing a chiefs win, but closer than some…. Chiefs 38, Bris 34
Cmon chiefs

Briz 12 Chiefs 36

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

Bears 18 33 Chiefs

Bristol 24 Chiefs 29

Briz 35 - 45 Chiefs..

Bristol 17 chiefs 23

Less confident about this one than last week, think it is a worry for chiefs that Bristol are coming off the back of last weeks loss to Newcastle away.
Not sure we have a clue what Ali’s preferred side is yet? particularly 9 12 and the various back 5’s that have been put out so far,
But still think chiefs 23 is strong than Bris
Bristol 18 chiefs 24

Bristol 21 - Chiefs 28

Bristol 21 - Chiefs 28

Two strong looking sides for tonight. I fancy that it will be a Chiefs win but Bears will want to make a big home come back after last weeks loss to Falcons.

Bears 25 - 29 Chiefs

Quote:

Alain le Chief
I take a deliberate disinterest in Bris so would be intrigued to know who they’re missing as their team seems to have a few decent players in it?!
Shane we’re missing Sam from the 23 and hope he’s not out long term…. I’m backing a chiefs win, but closer than some…. Chiefs 38, Bris 34
Cmon chiefs

Unavailable: Harry Thacker, Steven Luatua, Sam Jeffries, Sam Lewis, Fitz Harding, Semi Radradra, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Gabriel Ibitoye. lifted from the briz forum. A few big names and certain starters in there!

Usually a good game and Bris seem to be a bit short of some of their regulars, but still will not be easy with their two England props.
Mrs PC Bris 24 Chiefs 27
PC Bris 24 Chiefs Chiefs 29

[/quote]

Unavailable: Harry Thacker, Steven Luatua, Sam Jeffries, Sam Lewis, Fitz Harding, Semi Radradra, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Gabriel Ibitoye. lifted from the briz forum. A few big names and certain starters in there![/quote]

Thanks BCLC. Squads need to be so big these days you lose track easily…. I struggle to remember who we’ve got missing half the time!

Like others I think there is danger in a reaction from Briz’s poor performance last week but Rob will be all over that so remaining optimistic

Employing the 'stopped clock' theory (!):

Bristol 26 - 33 Exe

Quote:

Alain le Chief
I take a deliberate disinterest in Bris so would be intrigued to know who they’re missing as their team seems to have a few decent players in it?!
Shane we’re missing Sam from the 23 and hope he’s not out long term…. I’m backing a chiefs win, but closer than some…. Chiefs 38, Bris 34
Cmon chiefs

Bristol are missing, Steven Luatua, Semi Radrada, Harry Thacker, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Gabriel Ibitoye, Sam Jeffries, Fitz Harding and Sam Lewis, some big influental players in that list.

Beat me to it BCLC!

Briz 24 Chiefs 29

I worry about our scrum…

Quote:

gassyrucker
I worry about our scrum…

Harry has gone from being our first choice TH to being maybe 3rd choice imo.
Don't know what has happened to him recently?

Agreed

I’d also like someone to explain how the scrum is referred. Seems like a total lottery

Now that is a statement!! Is looking very good 😁😁

I've always felt that when we or any team complains that they have players missing are just using it as an excuse. We lost a lot of players last year but others came through - as my old man used to say 'you have to take the @#$%& with the custard'.

We put a bl00dy good side out tonight but the point is, we played what was in front of us and put 50 points on them. Lets unashamedly enjoy it.

Wow, Given that chiefs were struggling in the scrum for much of the night that was some result.
Definitely played for full 80 mins when Bris seemed spent after 55. Maybe the talk of a full pre-season is not just a sound bite for the coaches.
Good game by woodie, maunder and forwards as a whole, still looking for someone to really claim the 12 jersey imho

Hey guys - I just want to say Harry did well today. He was up against a fired up Genge. It was a huge momentum shift when Harry won two penalties in the second half. Genge was pulling down for much of the match and driving inwards lowering his shoulder. and not driving straight. In the first half Ridley was on the wrong side for the scrums. When Genge was penalised in the scrum twice and then for dissent their forwards knew their 'strongest' weapon had been outgunned and that had a huge effect. Today IMO Harry showed some return to form and is clearly the best scrummaging tighthead we have. He is some-way behind the dynamism shown by Schickerling in the loose however.

Quote:

cornwallchief
Hey guys - I just want to say Harry did well today. He was up against a fired up Genge. It was a huge momentum shift when Harry won two penalties in the second half. Genge was pulling down for much of the match and driving inwards lowering his shoulder. and not driving straight. In the first half Ridley was on the wrong side for the scrums. When Genge was penalised in the scrum twice and then for dissent their forwards knew their 'strongest' weapon had been outgunned and that had a huge effect. Today IMO Harry showed some return to form and is clearly the best scrummaging tighthead we have. He is some-way behind the dynamism shown by Schickerling in the loose however.

+1

I thought Bristol's front row - genge in particular - were getting away with murder

Quote:

ouch!_that_hurts

Quote:

cornwallchief
Hey guys - I just want to say Harry did well today. He was up against a fired up Genge. It was a huge momentum shift when Harry won two penalties in the second half. Genge was pulling down for much of the match and driving inwards lowering his shoulder. and not driving straight. In the first half Ridley was on the wrong side for the scrums. When Genge was penalised in the scrum twice and then for dissent their forwards knew their 'strongest' weapon had been outgunned and that had a huge effect. Today IMO Harry showed some return to form and is clearly the best scrummaging tighthead we have. He is some-way behind the dynamism shown by Schickerling in the loose however.

+1

I thought Bristol's front row - genge in particular - were getting away with murder

+1 Another day, another ref and we would have won half of those scrum penalties.

Thanks Ouch - Lawrence Dallalaglio needed Brian Moore to help him with the scrum interpretation. I only saw one clear scrum penalty that Genge won.

I worry about Ridley. He started out looking promising but has got worse, not better. Very good to see that Joe S has exorcised the ghosts that Ridley created for him by allowing the unfair Northampton charge of his conversion 2? years ago.

We were as good as Bristol were bad tonight and they were awful. Perhaps the “reset” is beginning to bear fruit. The acid test will be Saracens in a fortnight.

Not just the ref being one eyed with regard to the scrums. Found the commentary on BT very annoying tonight 1st half completely pro Bristol, despite chiefs only being behind for the first few minutes.

Thought commentators good tonight.
Genge and the front row got into the refs head first half, scrum time had the ref seeing what they wanted him to see, I’m sure somebody had a word at half time as we were allowed to compete. But Genge was on top form, but his weakness, the control of his passion let him down a bit.
They were missing a few, but not sure it would have made much difference, we for once were just better.
Fitness is starting to show, we were looking so strong at the end.
Well done lads.

I think BT sport need to show more angles after a scrum PE AO showing the actual infringement. Tonight was a good example of it looking like a lottery (maybe it was, maybe it was good referring). Without some visuals the viewer is lost.

*penalty

In the past Genge has generally had the edge over Harry,whether that is mentally or physically?
The picture I saw last night was until he got tired,Genge was getting lower and underneath Harry and making it very uncomfortable for him.
Genge likes to get on top verbally as much as physically and likes being top dog. He and Sinckler are cut from the same cloth and like to get into people's heads, including Sirs. When they don't get that their toys go flying out of the pram as we saw last night and at Newcastle.
It really isn't a good look and they should be embarrassed but no one above them seems to call it out, including BT sport. It's not a good example for young players making their way in the game.
I personally don't think Harry has been the same since his England call up and then his injury.
For a big bloke he has always been great around the pitch and his work rate has never been in question.

Quote:

Zyder head

Quote:

gassyrucker
I worry about our scrum…

Harry has gone from being our first choice TH to being maybe 3rd choice imo.
Don't know what has happened to him recently?

To me it looks like he has lost quite a bit of weight. Not sure if that has caused a problem!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:10:08:11:03:01 by Blackwater Tribe.

Everybody, with one notable exception, had us down for a win but nobody got too close to the scoreline. So the standings took little adjustment this week.
22 Points: Ouch that hurts;
21 Points: Bold Eagle;
20 points: Dumnoniinomad;
18 Points: Mike the Shirt;
16 Points: Osmium; Cornwall Chief;
15 Points: Moosechief; Scottish Chief;
14 Points: Hankey; Lowerwatha;
13 Points: Andy15.1; Currychef;
12 Points: Rowancroft73; Cully Chief; Not Manichean; Alain le Chief;
11 Points: Stokecanon; Plympton Chief; Chief Firewater; ExTedd Chief; Keithbar54; Big Chief Little Chief; Fisher; Ex58;
10 Points: Lapo
8 Points: Clalan; Broken Arrow
6 Points: Whiptonchief; Mrs PC; Ljs399; Exeterfan;
4 Points: Last of the Beercans;
2 Points: Seaside Chief; Chief Bert; Minuteman
Next Saturday we entertain Wasps at Sandy Park. There seems to be some doubt in Craig Doyle’s mind as to whether Wasps will be able to fulfil the fixture. Let’s hope they find someone with sufficient money to keep them afloat. We don’t want another Wuss on our hands!
Mea Culpa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:10:10:08:46:14 by plymptonchief.