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Exeter's 124kg signing shows off freakish strength in the gym

Will Goodrick-Clarke

Exeter Chiefs’ summer signing Will Goodrick-Clarke has found a way to impress his new fanbase before a match has even been played in the new season.

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In the midst of their preseason, the 28-year-old prop was in the gym recently, where he was able to exhibit his strength to his new teammates.

The Chiefs shared a video online recently of the 124kg loosehead dumbbell pressing 70kg in each hand for six reps, which only suggests he is capable of doing significantly more.

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Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt gets brutally honest about the aspects of the game his team must work on

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Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt gets brutally honest about the aspects of the game his team must work on

The former London Irish prop joined Exeter from Ealing Trailfinders this summer with a number of props leaving Sandy Park. He has already found a way to impress the Chiefs faithful before even stepping onto the pitch.

With Exeter starting their Gallagher Premiership campaign against Leicester Tigers on September 21, they have four preseason friendlies against London Scottish, Cornish Pirates, Ospreys and Ulster beginning on August 24.

After Goodrick-Clarke signed, Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter described him as the “type of player” they wanted to bring in.

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“We knew some looseheads would be moving on and we wanted to replace them, as well as add to what we have here by signing a quality player who we knew had Premiership experience but was also of the right age range to be here for a prolonged time with a lot of rugby left in him,” he said.

“Will fills that mould fantastically for us. He’s an established player who was playing very well for London Irish at the time of their demise. He had worked closely with Ross McMillan and Ross had a lot of good things to say about him – his work ethic, the quality of player and the person that he is.

“We watched a lot of him playing in the Championship this season and saw he was playing well, so we think he’ll be a fantastic addition to our squad. We know he’s desperate to get back into playing in the Premiership to push on and try to be successful and win trophies. And that’s exactly the type of player we’re looking to bring in.

“He’s a guy that’s got some experience already but that we’ll help to keep improving and hopefully he can be the type of guy that helps to drive us forward and be a successful team in the future.”

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N
NB 7 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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