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'As good as the Lions was, guys, the best thing in your life this weekend is playing Newcastle'

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Exeter boss Rob Baxter is hoping to quickly tune his quartet of 2021 Lions picks back into Gallagher Premiership mode following their presence at the midweek administration day in London where Sam Simmonds, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill and Stuart Hogg got to meet up with their fellow tourists to South Africa for the first time. 

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The defending champions are still in a heated battle to secure home advantage for next month’s Premiership semi-finals and they have three regular-season matches remaining, starting with Sunday’s Sandy Park visit by Newcastle. All eyes will again be on Simmonds, the Lions bolter who has lit up the English league season. 

Ignored by Eddie Jones, who hasn’t chosen the back-rower for an England game since March 2018, Simmonds has been enjoying an incredible vein of form which culminated in his Lions selection by Gatland, a feat he celebrated with last week’s try hat-trick at London Irish.

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Scotland’s Ali Price on the moment he learned that he was a 2021 Lions pick

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Scotland’s Ali Price on the moment he learned that he was a 2021 Lions pick

That brought his Premiership tally this season to 19 tries, two more than the previous best-ever mark set by Richmond’s Dominic Chapman 23 years ago and Wasps’ Christian Wade in 2016/17. Simmonds was back at Exeter training on Thursday after linking up with the Lions and coach Baxter was expected him to quickly switch back into club mode. 

“No, I haven’t spoken to him yet,” reported Baxter when he held his weekly media briefing on Thursday morning. “I have seen him about but I have been in meetings and media and bits and pieces since early morning, so I’ll catch up with him over the course of the day. 

“They are level-headed guys, they will take it in their stride and they will get on. We have got our training day today and they will be back in the swing of things and ready to go on Sunday. I’m pretty comfortable with it all. I’m really pleased for them. They have got the opportunity of this experience. Being part of the Lions, it’s just an incredible thing to achieve as a rugby player but at the same time now my job is to just go right, as good as it [Lions administration day] was guys the best thing in your life this weekend is playing Newcastle in front of Exeter Chiefs supporters, so let’s get our feet on the ground and let’s get a good job done.”

In the immediate wake of his record-breaking Premiership scoring exploits in London last week, Simmonds was selflessly effusive in his praise of his teammates for their enthusiasm in creating try chances for him. Baxter described that sort of generous reaction from the No8 as in keeping with what he has experienced working with Simmonds and his out-half brother Joe. 

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“He [Sam] is a good guy first and foremost. He and his brother are local players, they came through the academy, they have done it the right way. It has not been easy for them, they have spent time on loan, they have spent time waiting behind senior players, they have worked exceptionally hard and they have taken opportunities when they have come along. They have done it all the right way and they are not silly. 

“They know the systems and the way we play, they know their roles in helping other people at times and they probably don’t get the credit for some of the stuff that they do to help other players to help the team and so they are very aware of the players that help them. 

“Sam knows we have some high expectations of what he can do on the ball so as much as he should and it is only right – it’s the proper thing to thank the other players for helping him score the tries – at the same time I can tell you right now the other players are very grateful for the things he contributes to get us near the line and then also get us over the line. 

“It’s a two-way street and that is the way a good team should function, they appreciate each other’s roles, they appreciate each other’s strengths and weaknesses and they appreciate how important they are to each other because that is what you see with Sam, he just has an understanding of how important they all are to each other. 

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“It’s not so much that he is necessarily grateful but he really understands that they are all important to each other and they all make things work for each other and we have got a lot of players. Most good teams would say the same, they don’t really care who scores but they care about winning and for our team we care about Sam scoring tries. 

“You could see it in the lads’ faces because they want someone to score records, they want someone to set high standards, they want someone to win something and to have those personal achievements as well and that kind of living through each other’s success, they have that in a big way. What you just see is a mutual respect and a mutual understanding of each other.”

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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