Exeter Chiefs v Bath Rugby

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Exeter Chiefs:

15 Josh Hodge

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

13 Henry Slade

12 Ollie Devoto

11 Olly Woodburn

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Tom Cairns


1 Scott Sio

2 Jack Yeandle

3 Ehren Painter

4 Rusi Tuima

5 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

6 Ethan Roots

7 Christ Tshiunza

8 Ross Vintcent


Replacements:

16 Jack Innard

17 Danny Southworth

18 Marcus Street

19 Lewis Pearson

20 Greg Fisilau

21 Stu Townsend

22 Will Haydon-Wood

23 Zack Wimbush

Bath Rugby


15 Matt Gallagher,
14 Joe Cokanasiga,
13 Ollie Lawrence,
12 Cameron Redpath,
11 Will Muir,
10 Finn Russell,
9 Ben Spencer (c);
1 Beno Obano,
2 Tom Dunn,
3 Thomas du Toit,
4 Quinn Roux,
5 Charlie Ewels,
6 Ted Hill,
7 Sam Underhill,
8 Alfie Barbeary
Replacements:

16 Niall Annett,
17 Juan Schoeman,
18 Will Stuart,
19 Elliott Stooke,
20 Miles Reid,
21 Louis Schreuder,
22 Orlando Bailey,
23 Jaco Coetzee

Match Officials

Referee: Luc Ramos (FRA)

ARs: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (FRA) & Evan Urruzmendi (FRA)

TMO: Patrick Dellac (FRA

Weather Forecast as at midday Friday

Strong winds and a light showers from the south south west
Temperature 13 degrees but will feel like 12 degrees
Chance of Precipitation at the start but lessening as the game progresses

TV Coverage

Channel 409 TNT Sports 2 SD from 1430
Channel 431 TNT Sports 2 HD from 1430

Thats a significantly more powerful back 5 forwards for us. Lots of route 1 + puck & go. Really good to see Oli D start and Zac on the bench. Jack Innard back as well!
With the weather forecast this will be a tight game. Hope we keep our discipline
My prediction 18 15 to Chiefs



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:05:12:17:24 by dwhite805.

Chiefs 19-27Bath

I think the weather could keep it close. Plenty of mouthwatering match ups however there is certainly a mis-match up in the respective half backs. Our 9/10 need to be 100% in their game management whilst Bath’s combo need to have an off day imo. Seen nothing yet this season to suggest that will happen.
Chiefs 15 Bath 21

Ford last week - Russell this week. Difficult to see a weakness in Bath's squad. Barbeary starting - he was huge as a sub in their last match. Pleased to see Innard. Disappointed Becconsall not playing - presumably injured. Difficult to see a win after last week but we are at home. I cannot remember the last time I predicted a home loss but today Chiefs 22 Bath 32. I cannot fathom why Skinns always starts despite his loss of confidence and performance through the season. An indictment of the coaches, recruitment or both I think.

We will absolutely need to win the game up front.

If Bath's pack dominate, then it will get ugly. As has already been pointed out and is frighteningly obvious, the greatest mismatch is at half back.

If Bath win decent ball, then it could make even the Sale match look like a good result.

That said, I think that our pack is good enough to get dominance and the weather is also going to make a big difference.

Russell is a maverick genius on a good day, but he can also be very casual and if he tries to play his usual game the wind may well catch him out. The ref is also something of an unknown quantity.

I can't bring myself to predict a Bath win although that is the probable outcome.

❤ Exeter to sneak the win 19-17.

🧠 Bath to win by 20 points or more.

For the benefit of Ouch's spreadsheet I'm going with my heart. Exe 19 Bath 17

Quote:

cornwallchief
Ford last week - Russell this week. Difficult to see a weakness in Bath's squad. Barbeary starting - he was huge as a sub in their last match. Pleased to see Innard. Disappointed Becconsall not playing - presumably injured. Difficult to see a win after last week but we are at home. I cannot remember the last time I predicted a home loss but today Chiefs 22 Bath 32. I cannot fathom why Skinns always starts despite his loss of confidence and performance through the season. An indictment of the coaches, recruitment or both I think.

I understand that Becconsall and Wyatt are both out for the rest of the season. Both are significant losses imo.

Chiefs 21 Bath 17

I think we will struggle:
Exeter 16 - 31 Bath

Guessing with my heart not my head Exe 31-25 Bath but I could be wrong!

Going to be close, think the wind will play it’s part today:
Chiefs 19 - 15 Bath



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:06:07:41:31 by Scottish Chief .

Chiefs 25 Bath 20. We have home advantage so leaning towards optimism.

I predicted a win weeks ago and sticking by it, just think we will step up tomorrow even though i see a couple of weaknesses . chiefs 17 bath 12.

Thanks NM for update on the injuries. Very disappointing - as you say significant losses.

No Vermuellen, Abuladze, Iosefa Scott, Hepburn, Frost , Capstick, Dunne, Hawkins, as well as Wyatt, Hammersley and Becconsall, who are out injured for the rest of the season.
But good to see Roots return, as well as Devo. My brain says a Bath win but I always go with my heart and I don't want to cancel my Toulouse hotel booking!

Chiefs 18 Bath 17

This will be very tough but if we can match them up front we have the pace with EFW and JH to do damage. Need to play the conditions and keep FR quiet, and if we are within one score with 10 to go I think we could win it. NO STUPID PENS PLEASE!!
My only real concern is the quality of their 9 & 10.
Chiefs 23 - 18 Barf



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:05:14:09:58 by Chief Bert.

Cut out the handling errors in possibly testing conditions and we have a chance. Bath packed to the gunnels with big names, but its been like that for the last decade whilst we made ours so shouldn't surprise the new players, but this season there is a hint of a team in Bath colours.
Give our speedster a chance and this could be a great match, all our space behind the sticks may have their 10 kicking with the wind knowing they have the extra error percentage, so Hodge needs to be on top form and Woodburn needs to find his legs again, his run back at Sale was woeful. At least Ross will be able to breath, to play so long must have effected him severely with his nose in such a state.
I'm on the slight home win side of fence, need a Sale type bounce back, and a ref who knows the reason for a yellow not the lunacy at Sale.

Bath Fan in peace - looking forward to the trip tomorrow- hoping for a cracking game and pray the weather does not ruin the occasion. It is nice as a Bath fan to come to your ground without that feeling of “a hammering on the card” it is so pleasing that genuinely this result is in the air and it is great that both set of supporters are going for their respective side’s victory- as a fan until the final whistle the heart will always rule.

Let us hope for a great game and may the best side win - and please NO officiating controversies.

We may match the Bath team up front, and will need a superhuman performance to win via that route. From 9 to 15 they are superior in at least 5 positions, and Woodys lack of pace may come back to haunt us.
I cannot see anything other than a superior Bath performance but perhaps with the wind acting as a slight leveller.
Trying to be realistic rather than emotional- Bath by 30.

Chiefs 21 Bath 20

The absence of Vermullen is massive our most physical forward mom against Newcastle and not seen since ? Assume injured as is Hawkins ?
If we give it our best shot then can ask no more but gulf in quality in some positions is stark compared to Bath.
Chiefs 19 Bath 41

Quote:

Ali1969
Let us hope for a great game and may the best side win - and please NO officiating controversies.

Amen to that! It's tough on us that JV is missing, but otherwise it's a pretty even matched selection. You guys might edge it in the backs, but I'd rate our forwards. Best wishes.
Chiefs 30: Bath 25

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:05:16:18:56 by DumnoniiNomad.

Chiefs 24, Bath 32

Chiefs 29 Bath 24

IMO the game will be lost at 9/10.

Chiefs 17 Bath 31

its a shame that apart from Waboso none of our players seem to be in form, and when was the last time we fielded the same line up 2 weeks in a row?

A better balanced pack and nothing to lose. shame to see Rigg out after 1 start but he did look lost a bit last week .

hope we win the toss and can play into the wind first half.

Loving the blind optimism of loads of you! Being naturally pessimistic I can see nothing but a big Bath win here. We've not played well for months now and Bath are settled and improving. The half back pairing is a really good one, the flair of Finn backed up by the sensible game management of Spencer. That will really be the big difference between the sides, we may get parity up front but we seem incapable of good attacking plays and this will cost us. My only hope is Bath play the whole game like the first 45 against Quins.
Chiefs 12 Bath 39
I'd love to be massively wrong!

Chiefs 17 Bath 27 even with home advantage and the wind as a leveller. Toss of the coin could impact the size of defeat.

Without JV , I would have liked to see Pearson starting even if it meant Rusi moving to 8 . He has a good engine, would give us a bigger pack and doesn't go backwards. For me,still underrated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:06:08:18:11 by Currychef.

Chiefs 10 - 21 Bath

Chiefs 28 - Bath 24

Going with heart not head, Chiefs 24 Bath 19. My Sunday pint with my Bath supporting son could be interesting!

Chiefs 19 Bath 25

Chiefs 24 Bath 28

Absolutely delighted I was wrong. Christ and Mani were just epic. Lots of other great performances and a few issues which will be mentioned I’m sure. But I’d rather concentrate on positives.

I too am delighted to be proven quite wrong!

Raspberries to the doom merchants! Shame on you! It was never in doubt!

Ok, I'll get my coat! 😄

On to the quarters!

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

Quote:

Chief Fire Water
IMO the game will be lost at 9/10.

How prophetic! Although perhaps not in the way you (or any of us) expected.