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'We still have a couple of slots': The gaps Exeter want to fill

A muddied Exeter listen up during pre-season training

Exeter boss Rob Baxter has suggested that further signings could be made by the Gallagher Premiership club before the new season gets going with their September 10 fixture at home to defending champions Leicester.

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Tongan midfielder Solomone Kata was unveiled by the Chiefs on Wednesday as their fifth off-season signing, the recruit from Moana Pasifika joining Jack Dunne and Rory O’Loughlin of Leinster and South Africans Aidon Davis and Ruben van Heerden at the English club.

However, Baxter has now hinted that his recruitment drive might not yet be over ahead of a campaign where he will look to restore the famed Exeter consistency that saw them progress to six consecutive Premiership finals between 2016 and 2021, winning the title on two occasions along with being crowned 2019/20 European champions.

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Exeter fell off the pace last season, finishing seventh in the league and getting knocked out of Europe in the round of 16. Forwards such as England’s Jonny Hill and Scotland’s Sam Skinner have since left the club but Baxter believes preparations are looking up for the new season and that the scope exists to still add a few more players.

“We still have a couple of slots that we could fill,” said Baxter to the Exeter club website. “With Will Witty moving on, that has opened up a space there, and there is a little bit of room potentially around the front row that I’m still looking at.

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“That said, we are starting to look where we need to be. So far we have got a good block of training into the guys that are here. It would have been nice to have got through this period with a few less operations and a few more guys on the field able to train regularly, but it’s very rare that Premiership clubs get to do that now,” continued Baxter, who last month had his squad train with the Royal Marines at a commando training centre in Lympstone.

“Overall, though, we are looking good and the guys look like they are bonding together nicely, which is really important. Initially, we didn’t think we would get Solomone over here as early as we have, so it’s great that he is here and settling in because that means we can get him on the pitch a lot earlier as well.”

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AM 6 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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