"Final" Morning all

[mike909]

Exeter unlucky - huge fwd pass in the build up to Williams' try and in the ruck which was a turn over pre fwd pass, Sarries player arm wrapped around neck of Exeter player - both were right in front of the line/assistant ref - and a TMO...

Shame really as that score turned the momentum and I thought Exeter would have had a decent chance otherwise. Really entertaining game overall - Exeter showed a lot of guts and made life really hard for Sarries. Breakdown reffing wasn't too bad - but too many bind changes allowed in rucks and "advantage" was played oddly at times.

Watched bits of a couple of SR games today and the breakdown was much clearer and better defined (other things were not so good) but the margin in the games as we play them here about release and off feet and going beyond the gainline to "manage a yard" and basically offside most of the time does often spoil the game

I think any team with that many international players are going to be hard to beat - they just have too many memories of winning/difficult games. To beat them it has to go right and you need a little rub of the green - for me - Exeter didn't quite get the rub - but got nearly everything right

Nowell's injury looked bad - finger crossed - cause in part by the intent in the tackle (not suggesting it was deliberate) to turn the player - perhaps something to look at. It took the last vestige of momentum from Exeter.

[Rossm]

I think this is going to be a very long road ahead for us to get anywhere near them.


Not just us I fancy.

A much better game than I expected. Estate agents did look a bit frayed in the first 60 They seemed to put themselves under pressure unusually. But then Exe definitely ran out of puff (and ideas). When Chiefs changed their entire front row 5 mins into the second half, I sensed that they were in a bit of trouble.

[RBB]

Didn't watch it, I do have BT but didn't want to see a load of smug EA faces....I desperately wanted Exeter to win, will watch the highlights though. I watched a thoroughly entertaining 13 a side encounter between Saint Helens and Wakefield, which looked tight until Saints rolled over a plucky Wakefield team.

[backdoc]

Exeter ran out of scrum halves. That was the defining change in the game. Maunder offered little threat and was slower and predictable.

[coddy]

Not just scrum halfs, I would say the Sarries replacements to a man was just a step up in class compared to Chiefs whose only bench player to come on and give a good account of himself was Cowan-Dickie.

[JonnyD]

Not just scrum halfs, I would say the Sarries replacements to a man was just a step up in class compared to Chiefs whose only bench player to come on and give a good account of himself was Cowan-Dickie.

Sarries with a young inexperienced academy product, a loaned championship player and a guy discarded by many (including us) and brought in from the championship as their front row replacements.
Suppose they have to balance the books somehow.

Also there aren’t many in that Exeter side that I would have ahead of many in our wasps starting 23, on paper.... however what Baxter and his coaches get out of those players is really quite impressive

[Chunky24]

Very good day out, lots of Wasps shirts about, great game, for me Liam Williams different class!