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British & Irish Lions

'Semi-rolled': Exeter provide latest injury update on Lions pick Sam Simmonds

By PA

09 Jun 2021

(Photo by PA)

Exeter boss Rob Baxter has allayed any fitness concerns surrounding Chiefs’ British and Irish Lions forward Sam Simmonds. The No8, who set a new Gallagher Premiership try-scoring record this season, went off and had ice applied to his ankle during Exeter’s 29-26 victory over Northampton last weekend.

It appeared to be a concern ahead of the Premiership playoffs and for the Lions prior to next month’s South Africa tour, but Baxter said: “Sam is fine. It was always very precautionary. He just kind of semi-rolled it [the ankle] a little bit.

“He has been a key player for us, he is having a great season and has been picked for the Lions. It’s great to have him available.”

Lions pick Finn Russell guests on the latest RugbyPass All Access

Despite not being selected by England head coach Eddie Jones since 2018, Simmonds has maintained impressive club form which underpinned his Lions call-up. He will now be an integral part of Exeter’s push for a successful Premiership title defence.

The Chiefs host Sale Sharks in their final regular-season game on Saturday and are then likely to face a playoff clash against the same opponents at Sandy Park on June 19. Baxter added: “Because he came off the pitch, everyone has kind of jumped at it.

The Chiefs number eight and England international went off during the second-half of Exeter’s thrilling 29-26 Gallagher Premiership victory over 14-man Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens.https://t.co/SEwkLvmS2w

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 6, 2021

“If you actually watch what happened, he just got his ankle just flexed backwards a little bit. It wasn’t even that severe. If anything, he probably could have played on. But as I said, because we were about to make a back row substitution anyway, it just made complete sense.

“The other two guys (Sam Skinner and Jannes Kirsten) were going well and hadn’t picked anything up, so there was no point at that stage risking Sam when we were going to put some fresh legs on anyway. We kind of got on with it. It wasn’t so much that he had to come off with an injury. We could have decided to tactically replace him.”

Title-chasing Sale have suffered a blow https://t.co/vtOEnSjEDp

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 9, 2021

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Comments on RugbyPass

johnz 18 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.

Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.

11 Go to comments

ColinK 19 minutes ago

Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

Whatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.

1 Go to comments

johnz 26 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

Ratima did look rattled, compared to Roigard who looked like a boss when he came on. But that's been Roigard in test rugby so far. Ratima is only really starting because of Roigard's injury, otherwise surely Roigard was the incumbent. So it's not just one outing of the pine, that just points to Roigard being ready to have a start. As good as Ratima has been, Roigard just offers more.

11 Go to comments

GL 1 hour ago

How surprise opportunities led Harry Plummer to debut for All Blacks

Cody Taylor is a more significant loss than BB, not even close!

1 Go to comments

JD 1 hour ago

'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'

Won't see a player like him nor, hopefully, an arsehole like him either. Odious kant.

22 Go to comments

CO 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I agree largely and I rate McKenzie as a wonderful utility at his best but now at twenty nine I wouldn't take him to the next world cup. I've never seen him as a a ten or a starter either at top tier test level. The bench needs a serious rethink with ideally a hybrid halfback/wing or a hybrid halfback/ten or a hybrid ten/centre to release that need for two relatively small guys on the bench.

32 Go to comments

RW 1 hour ago

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Starting a go fund me for Bundee to Leinster 😜

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CO 1 hour ago

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Unbelievable, the penalty count was so lopsided in last week's first half I'm certain the conspiracy theorists have already had a field day.

25 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Good idea, but to move a lock to 6 now with no previous experience save Scott Barrett (who is still our best lock) ahead of the 2nd best equal team in the world may cause more harm than good in terms of confidence, in both caoches and players.

Re lineout options, the ABs have the most innovative lineout in the world, with FOUR lineout options (Barrett, Vaai, Sititi, Savea), compared to Irelands maybe 2 (Beirne and Ryan). ABs will absolutely cause issues at the lineout, and definitely at scrum time. Those Irish props eat to much salad compared to our boys 💪

25 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I never said boring was bad, but it doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with the ABs style. The ABs 10 looks like this: a little magic, good offloads, tactical precision kicking, draw and pass, and a cool head to level it off.

A game manager isn't exactly necessary, as the ABs should all know what they are doing, and the 9 should be directing the forwards. However, considering the youth of our best 9s currently, a more vocal, directive, and logical player like Harry Plummer would make more sense than someone like DMac, who is in his own right a good 10, but tends to sit in wider channels where he can threaten the line more directly, so has less influence on the postioning of the narrower forwards.

32 Go to comments

Kia koe 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Yep yep I agree

25 Go to comments

Icefarrow 2 hours ago

The ‘unsung hero’ who helped All Blacks’ bench make a telling difference

B-but all the armchair critics tell me he's useless and does little for the team but get penalised... This simply cannot be!

2 Go to comments

Thomas K 2 hours ago

England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

So you think you’d definitely have scored way more tries if it wasn’t for all the off the ball shots? 🤣🤣