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'It would be a lie if I didn't say there were some markers we wanted to put down'

(Photo by Ashley Western/MB Media/Getty Images)

Gallagher Premiership fans worried that the top-flight in England could suffer this season without having the rivalry of Exeter versus Saracens to keep them entertained could well have an alternative rivalry to savour – Exeter against their nearest geographical rivals Bristol, who visit Sandy Park on Saturday for a top-of-the-table clash. 

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Both teams are running joint first on the ladder with 20 points apiece after four wins from five outings and there is every indication that this latest meeting will be just as close as fixtures in recent years since Bristol returned to the Premiership following a season in the Championship.  

The margins in their last four games have been tight – 3, 3, 5 and 2 points, with Exeter taking the spoils on three occasions to Bristol’s one. Now they meet with first place on the table at stake and Exeter boss Rob Baxter can’t wait to see how it all pans out.  

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“It wouldn’t be sport if there weren’t rivalries and there weren’t people looking at each other and going this is a big game,” he enthused. “Exeter against Bristol, if you look at the last couple of seasons and last season in particular, is a big game. 

Both teams will certainly want to make some kind of a statement but the biggest statement we both want to make is we show we can beat each other. That is the reality. You want to show that which is why Wasps’ win last week was a big win for them. 

“That last game they played against us they lost in the final and they wanted to put down a marker that they could beat Exeter Chiefs and they did that very well. For us, 100 per cent we want to put down a marker that we can beat Bristol here at Sandy Park. 

“Interestingly enough they came to Sandy Park last year and beat us early in the season but then we went to their place and beat them. These things, they have that edge and a bit of spice and it would be a lie if I didn’t say there were some markers we wanted to put down. Of course, we do but that is what will make it a really good game of rugby… there is no reason why it shouldn’t be a good game of rugby and hopefully, that is what it will become.”

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It was May 2010 when Exeter gained promotion to the Premiership at the expense of Bristol, winning a play-off final at the Memorial Ground. While the Chiefs have used the past decade to go on and become a leading force in the game, culminating in October’s Premiership and Champions Cup double, it wasn’t until Pat Lam took over and returned Bristol to the Premiership in 2018 that they began to take impressive strides.   

Baxter has been impressed with their attitude, Bristol joining the Premiership with the view to achieving great things rather looking over their shoulder and playing with the fear of relegation. “I always felt that it was time in the Premiership that helped us more than anything else,” said Baxter, reflecting on how Chiefs developed when they were first promoted.

“So actually the single most important thing for us to become better in our first year or two in the Premiership was staying there and not just staying there, but staying there with a confidence relatively early in the season that you weren’t going to be relegated because that is how you progress. 

“What stops you progressing more as a team than anything else is that looking over your shoulder, worrying about where the next result is coming, where the next points are coming, and what Bristol have managed to do very well is remove those doubts quite quickly.

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“That is what allows you to progress quickly because you then develop your game and develop things without that threat and fear. Bristol settled in very quickly when they got back in the Premiership and that is allowing them to develop and work on aspects of their game. 

“They are a team that can score points very quickly if you get things wrong but Newcastle showed last weekend they have got some weaknesses you can exploit if you play well and Wasps showed the same with us.”    

THE CHIEFS-BEARS RIVALRY
August 2019: Bristol 22 Exeter 25
November 2019: Exeter 17 Bristol 20
January 2019: Exeter 14 Bristol 9
November 2018: Bristol 29 Exeter 31

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J
JPM 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 1 hour ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

12 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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