Heino Cup Pool 5, Round 5: ASM Clermont-Auvergne vs Exeter Chiefs

Victim number 54 or the end of an amazing home record? By the end of Saturday evening, Exeter Chiefs will have delivered one of those two outcomes at the Stade Marcel-Michelin. ASM are massive favourites and it's difficult to see many potential positives for Exe - nevertheless I can't wait to get over there and soak up the atmosphere. In the reverse fixture, Chiefs led ASM 12-10 at half-time in a spirited display, but were simply blown away in the second period by one of the most exhillirating displays of rugby I've ever been lucky enough to witness. It will be extremely difficult for Chiefs to get any kind of result to be honest, but this is the kind of rugby task that Rob Baxter delights in, a huge learning opportunity with the Chiefs as massive underdogs - funnier things have happened?

Best of luck to the Chiefs, it would be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition (because ASM are class, not because the Chiefs aren’t) but why the hell not.

Couldn't have put it better myself, GC! Any trips planned back to the UK this year?

I do what I can Asbo.

Maybe in the summer to get Her Highess (aged 1 year and 2 days now) baptised in our London church and to see some folk. Am still chickening out of taking the 8 hour flight though.

Baby + Confined Space + =

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:ASM are massive favourites and it's difficult to see many potential positives for Exe

To be fair the Cheifs probably have a heap more positvies going into this game than most sides in the HEC. There will be no expectations upon them, and even if they were to take an absolute pasting it would not be held against them as the ground is literally a no win ground for visiting sides. I think that whilst Exeter will be beaten comprehensively, it will be a very good experience for them as a team, and especially for the fans. You learn more about yourself as a team (and fans) going to a place with no hope than you do playing a whipping boy.

Best of luck to you.

George Carlin wrote:I do what I can Asbo.

Maybe in the summer to get Her Highess (aged 1 year and 2 days now) baptised in our London church and to see some folk. Am still chickening out of taking the 8 hour flight though.

Baby + Confined Space + =

On the other hand, no harm in getting her used to it early doors - worked for my three

Three! Good lord - no wonder you've got a sense of humour.

The big question is, do I wear my kilt or not? Doesn't really go with the Exe Heino strip colours, but tbh nothing does! Views?

There's only one way to settle this.

If you want Asbo to wear his kilt, call 0800 ...(etc)

Right the lines are now closed and the votes have been counted - and we're going for ...












... kilt.

My hope is that this will inspire a Glasgow-esque performance away to Toulose in the Heino in 2009. At that point, Toulouse were undefeated for 25 months, Glasgow pretty much out of the competition and totally unfancied. I'll settle for a 26-33 away win, it will do me nicely.

'Mon Exe

Bearing in mind the European kit, I reckon a special purchase is needed:

Spoiler:

LT - that shouldn't say 'SPOILER' it should say 'IMPROVER'

I think the Chiefs and Scarlets could blow this competition wide open in the last two rounds by making sure only one team qualifies from this group. The Chiefs could spring a surprise and the Scarlets are due a gaint killing performance out of the blue.

LondonTiger wrote:Bearing in mind the European kit, I reckon a special purchase is needed:

Spoiler:

Oh jeebus, LT, that's awful, my eyes hurt!!

Have a great trip ASBO, kilt or not, and good luck the

Re: Exeter Chiefs vs Northampton Saints - build-up, teams and match-day thread
by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Yesterday at 1:21 pm (on the wrong thread ) What can I say? He's old and Scottish. You have to make allowances!

.CHIEFS TEAM TO FACE CLERMONT AUVERGNE

15 Luke Arscott
14 Gonzalo Camacho
13 Phil Dollman
12 Jason Shoemark
11 Matt Jess
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Kevin Barrett
1 Ben Moon
2 Neil Clark
3 Hoani Tui
4 Tom Hayes (capt)
5 James Hanks
6 Tom Johnson
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Richard Baxter

16 Jack Yeandle
17 Carl Rimmer
18 Craig Mitchell
19 Aly Muldowney
20 Dean Mumm
21 Will Chudley
22 Ignacio Mieres
23 Ian Whitten

Looks strong

Simply man-shamed by a team that is simply better in every department and quite honestly didn't have to get out of a trot. Naive play with optional tackling from Exe didn't help matters much either. Oh well, we've come a long way in the last few years, but there's a lot further to go still

Bad luck ASBO. Hope you enjoyed the trip though

There's no shame in it ASBO, they're the best team in Europe.

They are one of the top teams in France and odds on favorite to win the H cup I read in the Equipe last week they are around 5th richest with an annual budget of around 22 million euros 18 million GBP ( Toulose has a 34 million turnover ) which is about 10 million bigger than Exeter which is around 8 million. Putting everything in context its just amazing that the Chiefs are in the H cup and shows what along way they have come and its doubtful that any other English would have beaten Clermont.