Comments on: Best Of The Weekend: Exeter And Scarlets Defy Logic To Become Champions

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 22:45:32 +0000

Re What do Wasps need? Props. Dai wants to develop what we’ve got but he needs a 10% improvement from them next year.
Re comment about new FH. We were record top try scorers last year because of Cips despite not dominating teams up front. He put Taylor through for the break that led to first try vs Chiefs, then threw a pass in the 22 that no other 10 would have tried to set up a break that should have ended with another try. Class.
Re paying for success – Steady recruitment of young English talent over 5 years with a couple of star additions. Backline with Wade Daly Cips & Simpson all academy players plus Bassett from the Championship. Wasps were first to make a declaration regarding salary cap when others were known to be in breach and Exeter never did.
Fair play to Chiefs. They were relentless. Exceptionally well coached by Rob Baxter and deserved winners on the day.

By: Snewbs

Snewbs — Wed, 31 May 2017 12:15:07 +0000

The final was a great match. For me, Exeter played the better rugby and deserved the win, however this was gutting as a Wasps fan as we were leading so close to the end. We can look at the ins and outs of the 100 mins of rugby, but the match wasn’t lost on one decision. Wasps had enough chances to put the game to bed – they didn’t and they lost. They’ll learn from that.

I don’t buy into Wasps ‘buying success’ as a notion. They’re not the English Toulon or the rugby Galactocos. They’ve built a team slowly over a number of years. The core of their team is built on academy graduates or young English talent bought before they were considered championship stock. Yes, we’ve bolstered our squad with stardust, but if you think Salvi, Waldrom, Parling, Dennis, Campinaro etc are playing for cats whiskers and shiny pebbles your deluding yourself.

What can Wasps do to win next season? Continue to play rugby, don’t let anyone drive a wedge into the team and make sure that we don’t go missing for 20 mins most games. Continuity and consistency will ensure we’re there again next season. Wasps Exeter Saracens Leicester will all be good next year. Wasps have fewer English internationals than the others, this may help them this time next year.

By: Pablito

Pablito — Wed, 31 May 2017 06:09:14 +0000

Cut out simple errors

By: Pablito

Pablito — Wed, 31 May 2017 06:07:57 +0000

I’d have to re watch it but at the time I thought Hughes had lost his balance and briefly put a hand on the floor to steady himself, hence Doyle calling leave it

As you say though it doesn’t really matter. You play to the ref and the ref told him to leave it

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:13:31 +0000

Are you ready for the Lions? Thoughts? By & Large, surely the ? is, are the Lions ready for NZ? Watched a doc of the ’74 team in S. Africa. Plenty up front; @ scrummage, lineout & in the loose, but with also invention & confidence in attack with interchangeable fwds & backs combining as if they were born to do so @ times. Why, oh why hasn’t the verbose Eddie got England playing like this?! The Lions will have to emulate their forbears to have a chance methinks.

By: Liono

Liono — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:09:08 +0000

re: 2) agreed on that Hughes was the only player at that ruck on his feet, but I also thought that you were lucky to still be with 15 men after that incident to be honest, I don’t know who it was but I thought that the Exeter player who came flying into the ruck at full tilt with what appeared to be mostly head and not much arms could have easily been sin-binned? Got a feeling it wasn’t the first time Hughes had been targeted like that either when legitimately clamped on the ball.

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:01:49 +0000

What do Wasps need to do to kick on and expand their trophy cabinet? Keep possession. Up the tempo. Buy another Beale, a new fly1/2 & play like the Lions of ’74.

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 30 May 2017 14:56:56 +0000

Mixed feelings regrds Ex v Wasps match. Had no particular affinity to either side since Wasps sent themselves to Coventry. However, as the match neared it’s conclusion, I found myself hoping that Wasps might just pull it off. Likely recalling their glory yrs when they played the most effective & all court rugby in the country under Gatland. Still, probably good for rugby & Exeter, that they prevailed in the end. It would have been cruel for them to have fallen at the last after previously having beaten the ‘invincible’ Saracens.. at the death.

By: Henry Ker

Henry Ker — Tue, 30 May 2017 14:33:47 +0000

Honestly one of the best games of club rugby I have ever watched. It had everything. Also a lot unexpected errors by seasoned players (see Gopperth’s non-kick/drop) but because it was by both sides that just added to the enjoyment… As a Leicester fan I had no emotional involvement other than an inkling I would prefer Exeter to win – because of the journey they have been on, from lower leagues to premiership finals – and just sat back and enjoyed the rugby on display.

On a side note, very happy to see both Don Armand and Tommy Taylor get called up for England’s Argentina tour – both have been brilliant all season for their respective clubs and deserve a shot at international honours!

Will also vote for Tom Wood to share villain of the week – despite the fact Northampton somehow got away with it!

By: AndyB

AndyB — Tue, 30 May 2017 14:08:16 +0000

As a Chiefs Fan I am over the moon. Was at the game and it was undoubtedly the best 100 Minutes of sport I’ve seen live. There are 2 points I’d like to make about the game:

1) Exeter should’ve scored more, 2 missed touches for penalties. Kicking to touch instead of points. If we’d taken the points it the first half could’ve easily ended 17-3 and then we could’ve run away with it in the Second half.

2) Exeter should’ve lost! watching it back I don’t see why Hughes was penalized for holding on in the 77th minute when he was clearly on his feet. I get it that JP Doyle said to release the ball and he didn’t listen but IMO that was never a penalty.

All that said though I believe that Exeter were deserved winners on the day and would be surprised if anyone thought otherwise.

By: Dazza (Dazzle)

Dazza (Dazzle) — Tue, 30 May 2017 10:23:59 +0000

Well done to Exeter, what a great final that was. Both teams gave it everything but I think they deserved the win.

Young guns shined for England vs Barbarians. It was a well controlled and efficient performance. Never easy to play a structured game against a team who just want to play rugby.

Not sure how Tom Wood didn’t share the villain of the week? To have the cheek to shout “I bet he plays on” as he was leaving the pitch doesn’t do him any favours. I think a lengthy ban is heading his way.

By: Jeremy Denton

Jeremy Denton — Tue, 30 May 2017 07:46:33 +0000

Huge congratulations to Exeter, a well deserved win from a small club doing things on and off the pitch the right way. And significant of a shift in power in rugby being complete as along with Saracens they should dominate domestic rugby for a good few seasons now.
As for Wasps I can see a fall off next year, the attempts to pay to win don’t always work especially if you are not doing similar work off the field. If they learn that they’ll bounce back, if not they’ll become a bridesmaid, like Bath, Saints and Leicester.
Tom Wood? What an idiot, but systematic of a malaise at Saints who these days are more sinners. Not a nice team and a not particularly nice crowd either.