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'There were things there that you wouldn't want to happen in a Heineken Cup week'

A 31 - 31 draw enough for Chiefs.

Rob Baxter hailed his Exeter side’s character after they overcame a string of obstacles and a flying start from Glasgow to seal a place in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals.

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The Aviva Premiership leaders needed only a point to seal top spot in Pool 2 and managed three after a pulsating 31-31 draw.

Exeter had to deal with illness and injury and then got lost on their way to Scotstoun after being rerouted as an estimated 80,000 Scottish independence supporters marched through Glasgow.

They conceded two tries to Tommy Seymour and Huw Jones in the opening eight minutes but scored the next three before being pegged back on the stroke of half-time.

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Matt Kvesic scored his second of the game to put the Chiefs ahead but they survived some late pressure in torrential rain, and a disallowed Sam Johnson try, after Niko Matawalu’s effort and a brilliant Adam Hastings conversion got Glasgow level.

Director of rugby Baxter said: “We were 14 points down and interestingly enough our message to the players before the game was just to come here and show character.

“We hadn’t had a perfect week, we had a short turnaround from a Premiership game last Sunday and had to change the team every day in training with players dropping out through head injuries and illness, and even had to change the 23 last night with Don Armand being ill.

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“Sean Lonsdale called lineouts and that’s the first senior game he has had to do it. There were other guys making senior debuts, Will Whitty and Tom Price making their front-line debuts. There were things there that you wouldn’t want to happen in a Heineken Cup week.

“We got disrupted in our travel, turned up late and the weather is changeable. Everything was a challenge and we have dealt with it.

“There was a march on in the city centre and our hotel was city centre. We turned one way and turned another and roads were being shut. We ended up skirting our way round. We ended up in a couple of housing estates and wondered whether we were ever going to get out.

“The lads have just got on with it and showed great character and it feels like we have got a winning draw because it has achieved everything we wanted to achieve.

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“The key is the home quarter-final now and what the three points has done has meant it is in our hands.”

Warriors were left to rue yellow cards in each half for Callum Gibbins and Fraser Brown – Exeter scored three tries with numerical advantage – and two huge chances for Jones which disappeared when he failed to pick up the ball.

Exeter scoring
Exeter’s Matt Kvesic scores a try in the first half at Scotstoun (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Head coach Dave Rennie said: “We had four opportunities where if it sits up we score.

“I’m really happy with the character and courage, we just needed to turn some of the pressure into points and we didn’t.”

Glasgow move on to 12 points and Rennie admits finishing as one of the three best runners-up looks unlikely.

“We are disappointed because we did enough to get five points,” he added. “We will see what happens in those other games and find out what we need to do next week. The chances are slim.

“We will assess and go and throw everything at Sale.”

Press Association

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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
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