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'It's not as if Stuart is a bad guy...' Exeter explain axing Hogg, confirm Cuthbert is leaving

(Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

Rob Baxter used his post-match television interview on BT Sport on Saturday evening to explain his headline-generating decision to drop Scotland captain and 2021 Lions pick Stuart Hogg to the Exeter bench for their Gallagher Premiership semi-final win over Sale. The Chiefs defeated the Sharks 40-30 at Sandy Park to reach their sixth successive English top-flight final and they did so on the back of restoring fit-again England winger Jack Nowell to their side at full-back in place of Hogg who had been chosen at No15 for the previous week’s narrow 20-19 round 22 win over Sale.

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Exeter trailed 19-3 in that game before a red card for Sam Skinner ignited the comeback that prevented Sale from securing the bonus-point win that would have resulted in the semi-final taking place at AJ Bell Stadium in Manchester rather than the teams meeting again at Sandy Park.   

Sale were three tries to the good by the time Skinner was red-carded and with that defensive weakness foremost in his mind, Baxter took remedial action with his Exeter team for this weekend’s rematch by dropping Hogg to the bench just five weeks before he is expected to be the starting full-back when the Lions meet the Springboks in the first Test in Cape Town.    

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Baxter’s decision was vindicated by Nowell’s dependability under a barrage of Sale kicks while he also scored two tries in the victory which sets Exeter up for a final next Saturday at Twickenham against Harlequins. “The reality is it’s a difficult one,” reflected Baxter about picking Nowell ahead of Hogg in his Exeter XV.

“It’s not as if Stuart has let anybody down or it’s not he is a bad guy. It’s never like that but I just felt we had to pick guys who contributed the most last week to what was a fantastic turnaround for us across the 80 minutes.

“Then getting Jack back fully fit, I wanted to get him involved and I thought it was 100 per cent the right thing to get him involved watching him in training. Somebody had to pay the price in that team and unfortunately for Stuart, it was him because I felt he contributed the least last week. His response was exactly what I wanted it to be. I phoned him and said we are going to put you on the bench this week. I’d like to know what your response is going to be and he was you are going to get a reaction Rob and I am going to prove that you are wrong leaving me out which is exactly how you want it to be.”

TV pundit Ben Kay lauded Baxter for getting the big selection call correct. “That is what great clubs are based on, being picked on your right to be there, not because of your name and reputation. It was really difficult for Jack Nowell to come in in some regards because it was a headline selection not picking Stuart Hogg.

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“But I thought he was superb under the high ball, particularly early on he was absolutely perfect. And then we know what a threat he is, powerful low to the ground and he has just got an ability to find the line. He will always be in and around try-scoring opportunities and he came up with a couple of good ones today.”

Fit-again winger Alex Cuthbert was also among the try-scorers before making way for Hogg on 68 minutes and Baxter confirmed post-game that he will leave the club at the end of this season. “He is a very good player. When he is fit we get him back on the field because that is how well he has played. For me, the biggest quality of a guy like Alex is he is having to leave the club. 

“I sat down with Alex and said I think your time here has probably come to an end. It’s just you’re not available for too many games to be able to move forward in the salary cap and the situations that are there around it. I said I am very sorry for that but it is just a decision I am having to come to based on more than your playing ability.

“It’s based on everything and the biggest measure of the guy is he knows we have sat down and released him and look at how he is performing for us in one of the biggest games of the season. The easiest thing for him to do now would be to tuck himself up and just say I am moving on. But look at him, he is throwing himself into it, he is fighting for the lads on the field, he has shown what a quality person he is.”    

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O
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
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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