Tigers v Chiefs

[Scott1]

Chiefs by 21-30

[Tiglon]

Will be a tough game, all you would really ask from the players is that they put everything in, keep their heads up and don't make silly mistakes. A performance similar to the Irish game will result in an unpleasant score line, but I refuse to believe the likes of Bonilla won't bounce back with better.

I would have put Reffell in for Brink - if Chiefs don't have a back row that's brilliant at the breakdown, perhaps that's an opportunity to find an advantage? If we're going to try to match their game I think we will fail. You rarely defeat a team like Chiefs by beating them at their own game. Nevertheless, the three we have selected are all very good players, so I'm not going to have a moan about it!

Nice to see Simmons start, but I suspect he will only see the ball when he's catching it from kicks.

It's hard to know how to feel about this match. It's really not a very strong Chiefs side, by their very high standards, and they have been caught out when not at full strength. Surely there's a chance we could at least make it a close game? If we'd won last week I'd be thinking we could do the same this weekend. That said, I suspect we'll get taken apart in the set piece, have little or no dominance in collisions and lose the kick tennis battle.

[MCC1964]

Chiefs by 21-30

Well at least you won’t be surprised.

[Scott1]

Chiefs by 21-30

Well at least you won’t be surprised.

That’s being kind too

[TigerCam]

I like Porter as a player, but a wing he isn't, is there really not another winger who could of played there square pegs in the square holes!
Back row unbalanced last week so select the same one...madness.
Really dont get 6/2 splits, unless you have more flexibility in your 2 or run on backs.
That isn't the most frightening Chiefs side, but I have very low expectations for tomorrow.

When he signed it was as a wing/fullback/centre. Whitten on the other wing has similar attributes. He adds physicality to the backline which might help and I think the 6/2 bench split could be because everyone else is injured pretty much.

I get the big backrow but an actual openside to target the ball and try to slow them down would be ideal. Just take out some of the momentum. Big bruisers coming off the bench in the second half where Chiefs may be slightly stretched with a bench not at their normal high standard. Let's just hope the scrum and lineout work this week.

If they can actually communicate and work with each other, unlike last week, and give RW and ZH some room then who knows? I have positioned the sofa for easy access to hide behind with a bottle of gin to hand to soften the anticipated pain?

[MCC1964]

Look, they are and have been pretty much thumping everyone in recent times with the very odd exception. I fail to see why we should be any different at this point. I know that sounds defeatist, but that’s just where we are right now, particularly after last week.

[jgriffin]

If it was Wayne, then we might have a chance, if it was Nigel we might. It's CMK and Chiefs will be lying on the ball, offside, coming in at the side etc etc all match. There was a reason their dominance was muted in the Champions cup KO later stages.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Chiefs by 21-30

I presume that's the margin not the scoreboard...

Still we get to enjoy Caterpillar rucks, lots of flying off feet, obstruction while Sir looks bemused by any complaints.

Might be best to just have a huge punch up at the first bit of lunacy at a ruck, smack every runner in front of the ball, put the officials on the spot.

None of us are expecting anything from this game in terms of points or a result, or tbh an outbreak of any attacking intent from Tigers.

[Noggs]

Frankly I'm tired of people standing in the home corner with towel in hand. Yes, at the moment Chief's are going to take some beating but let's get behind our team rather than writing them off before we even take the pitch.

I am also please to see Simmons get a start. He is very quick if given space. I also would have liked Reffell to start at 7 to exploit a possible weakness in the Chief's starting 15. Hopefully he will get on for a good period in the second half.

I am hoping for a much better performance than we saw last week. We have some very good players and given the time to play together I do expect improvements.

[Jimmy Skitz]

back row aside I like the look of that team, never a fan on a 6-2 split, not sure what it says for the likes of Worth and Olowofela either.

I would assume Potter picked up a knock, can't say I remember it

[Tiglon]

back row aside I like the look of that team, never a fan on a 6-2 split, not sure what it says for the likes of Worth and Olowofela either.

I would assume Potter picked up a knock, can't say I remember it

I think it says they aren't quite good enough, and I find it hard to disagree. It probably also says that SB expects a massive battle up front and will need 1-8 reinforcements rather than 9-15.

[OakhamTiger32]

Frankly I'm tired of people standing in the home corner with towel in hand. Yes, at the moment Chief's are going to take some beating but let's get behind our team rather than writing them off before we even take the pitch.

I am also please to see Simmons get a start. He is very quick if given space. I also would have liked Reffell to start at 7 to exploit a possible weakness in the Chief's starting 15. Hopefully he will get on for a good period in the second half.

I am hoping for a much better performance than we saw last week. We have some very good players and given the time to play together I do expect improvements.

Agreed. If this season both rugby and football has shown us anything it's that results have been very unpredictable. Not many people would have had Aston Villa down for a 7-2 victory over Liverpool but it happened. Yes Exeter are the best team in the league and also the best form team so it's going to be a tough afternoon but I agree with the sentiments above. What's the point of throwing in the towel before we've even started.

Agree about the balance of the backrow. Would like to have seen Reffell or JT get the start at 7 and Porter isn't a natural fit on the wing so could be a weakness but I'm hoping for a little more of what we saw at home vs Glos and as little as possible of what we saw away to Irish.

Stranger things have happened and I know we haven't beaten Exeter in the league since 2017 but I'm just hoping for a few more steps forward to build on what we saw in round 1.

[OakhamTiger32]

back row aside I like the look of that team, never a fan on a 6-2 split, not sure what it says for the likes of Worth and Olowofela either.

I would assume Potter picked up a knock, can't say I remember it

I think it says they aren't quite good enough, and I find it hard to disagree. It probably also says that SB expects a massive battle up front and will need 1-8 reinforcements rather than 9-15.

Agreed. Both have had plenty of chances and haven't really delivered. Lots of potential but we need consistent performers at the highest level now if we are to get back up to where we are hoping to be

[kk20gb30]

As per usual Vs Exeter this is going to be tough and physical game.Everyone knows what Exeter are about and what they are going to do - stopping them is a different matter.
Happy to see starts for Simmons and Leatigaga but do have concerns (again) about lack of creativity from the Centres.
The Chiefs are currently the best there is in The Premiership and losing to them would be no disgrace or surprise - however there are ways of losing. Should we go down then we need to go down fighting and competing for everything.This should be a challenge to relish not shy away from.

[Scott1]

Thought I would post this on here considering it was a home game. There’s talk now about football getting substantial crowds bag with temperature testing when entering and in the condition a mask is worn at all times. If this goes ahead I assume it will happen in rugby too. This is not a political angle or a pro or con of masks effectiveness just a quick yes or no if you would go back under these conditions. It’s a big NO from me!