Exeter Chiefs the new (old?) Tigers?

[Not a jock]

Do these points ring any bells?
- DoR born in county, long time club captain and forward
- few big name signings
- cadre of local, home grown talent
- take other clubs' journeyman players and polish them
- team greater than sum of parts
- honed basic skill sets (passing, tackling, lineouts, scrummaging, mauling etc)
- relentless pressure play
No doubt there are more.

The likes of Sarries and Quins 10-20 years ago or Bath more recently:
- high profile, expensive signings that only perform sporadically
- play well in bursts but inconsistent
- best performances in JP cup
- team less than sum of parts
- change coach frequently

I can't help thinking that Tigers have morphed from the former to the latter.

[Roly]

- take other clubs' journeyman players and polish them

That's not true, Exeter took some already good Tigers players, but coached them properly, didn't alienate them and turned one of them into the AP's top try scorer shortly afterwards.

Not really true that Sarries are that bad either - just look at the table. Quins - meh - but could you see a Tigers comeback like the one v Wasps at the weekend? Nope, me neither.

[JP14]

If Harlequins had a new Fitness guy and had a better DOR they will be right there

[JP14]

Exeter are definitely the new Tigers, traditional values, homegrown talent, loyal chairman etc

[TigerCam]

No comparison IMO. IMO Exeter have adopted an ethic that allows their players to play what is in front of them each game. TTTE, by his own revelations, is a prime example of this, stifled by Cockers, let lose by Baxter. Yes, they (Exeter) slip up now and again as does any side but they are consistently good due to their ability to adapt, assisted by a coaching staff that has the qualities to get the best out of them.

[Roly]

No comparison IMO. IMO Exeter have adopted an ethic that allows their players to play what is in front of them each game. TTTE, by his own revelations, is a prime example of this, stifled by Cockers, let lose by Baxter. Yes, they (Exeter) slip up now and again as does any side but they are consistently good due to their ability to adapt, assisted by a coaching staff that has the qualities to get the best out of them.

My other half was at the Chiefs v Tigers game on New Years Eve. As a club member she had good access to the players post match - talking to TTTE, she asked him how we was liking it at Chiefs - he said he loves it, the club, the ethos, everything (although there are rumours he will be moving back to NZ at the end of his contract). When asked about whether the win was all the more sweeter because it was against Tigers, he said, "you'd better believe it, this club is the complete opposite to Leicester".

There you go.

[Coops]

Exeter have very few big name stars in their squad and the average man on the street would be hard pressed to name 5 guys from Exeter.

That's down to coaching.

Simple as.

[Roly]

Exeter have very few big name stars in their squad and the average man on the street would be hard pressed to name 5 guys from Exeter.

That's down to coaching.

Simple as.

It may also be down to the players not having inflated egos, or the weight of club history on their shoulders.

What they've got now, they made together from humble beginnings. The atmosphere at Sandy Park is enviable.

[Not a jock]

Purportedly the two Premiership clubs with the largest overall salaries and benefits budgets are Bath and Sarries. Over last four or five years one seems to be well coached and has a very strong team ethos. The other doesn't. One has won lots of trophies, the other hasn't. Big budgets alone don't cut it. The Chiefs seem to have something that a big budget can't buy. Tigers seem to have lost that something.

[Roly]

Purportedly the two Premiership clubs with the largest overall salaries and benefits budgets are Bath and Sarries. Over last four or five years one seems to be well coached and has a very strong team ethos. The other doesn't. One has won lots of trophies, the other hasn't. Big budgets alone don't cut it. The Chiefs seem to have something that a big budget can't buy. Tigers seem to have lost that something.

Well, a lot of people need to lose the attitude that its Tigers' god given right to win stuff, and that when it is all going horribly wrong, that there's no cavalry coming over the hill to get things back on track (blind faith if you like).

The Tigers team they knew doesn't exist any more.

[ourla]

I think the old Tigers had longetivity which is something clubs like Quins and Saints haven't been able to match. The new Wasps still haven't won anything. Saracens have/are coming close to the old Tigers. Chiefs, I am not sure yet. There has been a slow but steady claim, and they've got the Prem prize bagged. But I think I'm right in saying they have an ageing squad and I'm going to wait and see if they have longetivity and/or go big in Europe. It's hard dislike them though and I'm certainly not looking to burst their bubble.

[Roly]

. But I think I'm right in saying they have an ageing squad and I'm going to wait and see if they have longetivity and/or go big in Europe. It's hard dislike them though and I'm certainly not looking to burst their bubble.

I sincerely doubt that Baxter and the BoD at Sandy Park are that inept they haven't got a plan. Plus, I would imagine that they're queuing up to be part of the Chiefs squad right now. They certainly seem to be able to fill in gaps with some pretty good players on the evidence of the last 7 seasons.

Every time Baxter signs a player, you find yourself thinking either 'I've never heard of that guy' or 'why didn't Tigers think of that' or both. Baxter picks them up for a song and turns them into match winners. I think a lot of it has to do with the culture of Chiefs. Tigers have lost their way. big time.

[ourla]

. But I think I'm right in saying they have an ageing squad and I'm going to wait and see if they have longetivity and/or go big in Europe. It's hard dislike them though and I'm certainly not looking to burst their bubble.

I sincerely doubt that Baxter and the BoD at Sandy Park are that inept they haven't got a plan. Plus, I would imagine that they're queuing up to be part of the Chiefs squad right now. They certainly seem to be able to fill in gaps with some pretty good players on the evidence of the last 7 seasons.

Every time Baxter signs a player, you find yourself thinking either 'I've never heard of that guy' or 'why didn't Tigers think of that' or both. Baxter picks them up for a song and turns them into match winners. I think a lot of it has to do with the culture of Chiefs. Tigers have lost their way. big time.

I'm sure Mallinder and O'Shea had a plan when they won the Prem. But don't get me wrong I think Chiefs are primed for further success. And if it can't be Tigers I'd rather them than Wasps. I'm ambivalent about Saracens.

[Roly]

. But I think I'm right in saying they have an ageing squad and I'm going to wait and see if they have longetivity and/or go big in Europe. It's hard dislike them though and I'm certainly not looking to burst their bubble.

I sincerely doubt that Baxter and the BoD at Sandy Park are that inept they haven't got a plan. Plus, I would imagine that they're queuing up to be part of the Chiefs squad right now. They certainly seem to be able to fill in gaps with some pretty good players on the evidence of the last 7 seasons.

Every time Baxter signs a player, you find yourself thinking either 'I've never heard of that guy' or 'why didn't Tigers think of that' or both. Baxter picks them up for a song and turns them into match winners. I think a lot of it has to do with the culture of Chiefs. Tigers have lost their way. big time.

I'm sure Mallinder and O'Shea had a plan when they won the Prem. But don't get me wrong I think Chiefs are primed for further success. And if it can't be Tigers I'd rather them than Wasps. I'm ambivalent about Saracens.

I used to resent Saracens, but I've grown to admire their success (you can't help but admire it really). I suppose I'm ambivalent too - but only in the sense that their success is almost inevitable really, so what's the point getting upset about them or crowing poor results.

[westwinds31]

If you knew nothing about Exeter or Tigers, but were looking to join a rugby club...and listened to both Baxter and O'Connor talking about an upcoming game or post-game, you'd pretty quickly be very interested in joining the Chiefs. You would want to run through a brick wall for him, whereas O'Connor, you'd be more likely to run across a busy road. Same with McCall and to a lesser extent, Dai Young.

Parling and Salvi, I think were on "the turn" when they left Tigers, but Baxter managed to eek out a couple of years of their best form. Two classic examples of taking "average" players and improving them....Woodburn and Jonny Hill, both reasonable players but since joining Chiefs, have become first choice players.