HC, Pool 2, Round 5: Exeter Chiefs vs Glasgow Warriors

A dead rubber, surely, altho I suppose there is a distant possibility that Exe might make the Amlin qfs. The pool stands thus:

Team ~ Pl ~ W ~ D ~ L ~ Pts
Toulon 4 3 0 1 15
Cardiff Blues 4 3 0 1 13
Exeter Chiefs 4 1 0 3 7
Glasgow Warriors 4 1 0 3 6

with Toulon at home to Cardiff (having just lost their Stade Mayol winning streak to Grenoble) and then away to Glasgow, with Cardiff away to Toulon and then at home to Exe (who banged six tries past them at SP), with Exe at home to Glasgow and then making the short trip up the road to Cardiff, and with Glasgow away to Exe and then welcoming Toulon to a wet and windy Scotstoun for what they will be hoping is the usual upset token victory!

So, there is still some interest left in this pool after all. Exeter are on a terrible streak of form - 8 losses out of the last 9 games in all competitions, yet with only the Quins BigGame6 a proper stuffing. Warriors haven't played for donkies - their last outing was the win in the first leg of the 1872 Cup away in Murrayfield. Glasgow will be looking to repeat their pre-season performance at Sandy Park, altho to be fair, neither team will look particularly similar to those that appeared back in the summer.



PS Looking forward to hosting C21st and J-Pip

Yes As, playing for pride more than anything but hopefully Glasgow can make it 3/3 on Saturday. Just hope this crappy weather does one in order for some good rugby to be put on display.

I'm bringing a brummy along for his first taste of rugby at any level. As a Villa fan, it can only get better for him!

We'll all be in the East Terrace but I'll fire off a text to you for a pre/mid/post match slurp.

Tattie, Great stuff, I'm aiming to get us there no later than 2pm. Have you changed mobile number tho? Sent you a message re tickets last week but hadn't heard anything? Cheers

check your PM As   

Happy new year ASBO. sorry bout the biggame result   

was away over the holiday season til last night so literally only just read the match report.

anyway, good luck this weekend. for some wierd reason, cant find the chiefs fixture and broadcast timing on the erc website - is it not being shown on TV?

I think the 2nd leg of the Edinburgh game being called off will have helped motivation, as the players will probably just be itching to play a game again.

Still, it must be hard to find some sort of reason why this game is important.

Saying that, some of Edinburgh and Glasgow's best wins have come when there's nothing to play for, so there's every chance!

Am I correct in thinking that the Blues are odds on to finish 2nd in the group, probably with 17 points??   Who would have guessed that at the start of the season!

This could be a cracking match between two sides who have underperformed somewhat recently and are desperate to make a positive statement. Then again Toonie might put Wight at 10, Vernon at 12 and McGuigan at 13. 
Tattie Scones, it would be smashing to meet you for an aperitif contact ASBO as he is the designated grown up for the day.  
ASBO, I am assuming we have tickets   

From a Smellies perspective, all I am praying for is no injuries. We haven't played in so long, it may not be entirely clear what a green piece of grass looks like.

There is a decision to be made by Toonie about selection - the next Rabo game is not until the 9th of February (and it's Connacht at home). This means that there are two dead rubbers for us - our best players need to retain some kind of match sharpness but we cannot have any more injuries (especially to locks or centres). So I have no idea who I'd pick.

Other then Richie Vernon at 12. First name on the team sheet.

quinsforever wrote:Happy new year ASBO. sorry bout the biggame result   

was away over the holiday season til last night so literally only just read the match report.

anyway, good luck this weekend. for some wierd reason, cant find the chiefs fixture and broadcast timing on the erc website - is it not being shown on TV?

Bliadhna mhath ur to you and yours also, my friend. Hmm, can't complain about that result, you just didn't allow us to settle and from then on, we were up against it. At least denied you a TBP, and magnanimous of us to allow you the win after last year's double

No TV coverage of this one, I'm afraid, but I'll be sure to post an in-depth analysis:          , then   

jimbopip wrote:This could be a cracking match between two sides who have underperformed somewhat recently and are desperate to make a positive statement. Then again Toonie might put Wight at 10, Vernon at 12 and McGuigan at 13. 
Tattie Scones, it would be smashing to meet you for an aperitif contact ASBO as he is the designated grown up for the day.  
ASBO, I am assuming we have tickets   

Tickets all taken care of, buddy

i don't think I've ever been referred to as a 'growed up' in all my puff tho!!

RDW_Scotland wrote:I think the 2nd leg of the Edinburgh game being called off will have helped motivation, as the players will probably just be itching to play a game again.

Still, it must be hard to find some sort of reason why this game is important.

Saying that, some of Edinburgh and Glasgow's best wins have come when there's nothing to play for, so there's every chance!

Am I correct in thinking that the Blues are odds on to finish 2nd in the group, probably with 17 points??   Who would have guessed that at the start of the season!

Who would have guessed it after round 1 when we stuck 6 tries on them!!

George Carlin wrote:From a Smellies perspective, all I am praying for is no injuries. We haven't played in so long, it may not be entirely clear what a green piece of grass looks like.

There is a decision to be made by Toonie about selection - the next Rabo game is not until the 9th of February (and it's Connacht at home). This means that there are two dead rubbers for us - our best players need to retain some kind of match sharpness but we cannot have any more injuries (especially to locks or centres). So I have no idea who I'd pick.

Other then Richie Vernon at 12. First name on the team sheet.

Yes, pls Toonie, do it, pls do it!!!   

Asbo, sorry to pin the grown up tag on you. I just remembered Schiz is not allowed out of Glasgow without his carer! So we're sorted for an appropriate adult.  
GC, as for selection common sense would say pick one of the XV's from the 1872 and go with that. God alone knows what Toonie will do.

Yes Jimbo will be good tio meet you and the mental one...looking forward to it as drinking-wise, Chrristmas was fairly quiet. More a case of behaving for the missus so that she couldn't veto my upcoming rugby trips. Will make up for it on Saturday though.

Reckon this will be another close affair with the loser taking a bonus point.

Why you lot discussing this? The game will be called off due to light drizzle!

tigertattie wrote:Why you lot discussing this? The game will be called off due to light drizzle!

Except, its being played in Devon, tt, rather than sub-tropical Scotstoun

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Yes Jimbo will be good tio meet you and the mental one...looking forward to it as drinking-wise, Chrristmas was fairly quiet. More a case of behaving for the missus so that she couldn't veto my upcoming rugby trips. Will make up for it on Saturday though.

Reckon this will be another close affair with the loser taking a bonus point.

Hey you - I'll mental ye !!!   I bring a wealth of in-depth (and considered) Warrior analytical knowledge to the party, as ASBO and Jimbo will testify to !   Anyhoo will be nice to share a half pint shandy or wee sherry with ya.    

Anyway back to the rugby.  Toonie should get his best 15 out there as they need the practice.   Madman must start at 9 or play at FB but please no stupid, bloody Toonie experiments ffs - dead rubber or not.

WARRIORS - WHATEVER IT TAKES

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Yes Jimbo will be good tio meet you and the mental one...looking forward to it as drinking-wise, Chrristmas was fairly quiet. More a case of behaving for the missus so that she couldn't veto my upcoming rugby trips. Will make up for it on Saturday though.

Reckon this will be another close affair with the loser taking a bonus point.

Hey you - I'll mental ye !!!   I bring a wealth of in-depth (and considered) Warrior analytical knowledge to the party, as ASBO and Jimbo will testify to !   Anyhoo will be nice to share a half pint shandy or wee sherry with ya.    

Anyway back to the rugby.  Toonie should get his best 15 out there as they need the practice.   Madman must start at 9 or play at FB but please no stupid, bloody Toonie experiments ffs - dead rubber or not.

WARRIORS - WHATEVER IT TAKES

That's what you call "in-depth (and considered) Warrior analytical knowledge ".
The sherry must be dry none of your sweet stuff, that makes me boak after a couple of pints.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Yes Jimbo will be good tio meet you and the mental one...looking forward to it as drinking-wise, Chrristmas was fairly quiet. More a case of behaving for the missus so that she couldn't veto my upcoming rugby trips. Will make up for it on Saturday though.

Reckon this will be another close affair with the loser taking a bonus point.

Hey you - I'll mental ye !!!   I bring a wealth of in-depth (and considered) Warrior analytical knowledge to the party, as ASBO and Jimbo will testify to !   Anyhoo will be nice to share a half pint shandy or wee sherry with ya.    

Anyway back to the rugby.  Toonie should get his best 15 out there as they need the practice.   Madman must start at 9 or play at FB but please no stupid, bloody Toonie experiments ffs - dead rubber or not.

WARRIORS - WHATEVER IT TAKES

Bringing some tattie and bean pies down with you would be better  

We eat raw meat in Glasgow dude !   

Gregor Townsend told the Evening Times: "We know that over the last two Heineken Cup games we are playing for pride in European terms.

"But we also have a great chance to show that if we produce our best form we are capable of matching any side in Europe.

"We went down to Sandy Park in pre-season and got a win there, and while you can't for one minute compare a friendly game with a Heineken Cup tie, at least the players are familiar with the venue and have also had a look at the Exeter squad in their environment. On top of that, we produced one of our best performances of the season to beat them at Scotstoun, in the first Heineken Cup tie with them.

"And and if we could back that up by winning at Exeter it would provide a huge boost.

"Then it is the European champions Toulon coming to Scotstoun and we will be determined to go out on a high at home in front of our support.

"So we have two fantastic European games awaiting us in the next fortnight, and although we would have preferred to be going into them with qualification still a possibility, they are still massively important to us in terms of the knock-on effect for the rest of the season."

Sean Lamont recovered from an ankle injury and was ready to start in second leg of the 1872 Cup with Edinburgh only for the game to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Gregor said: "It was great to get Sean back and fit for the second leg of the 1872 Cup and just a frustration he didn't get any game-time, like the rest of the players, due to the call off.

"But he will get some more training sessions under his belt this week and when you have Heineken Cup ties of the magnitude that we have coming up over the next fortnight you want big game players like Sean available.

"With regard to Mark Bennett and Jonny Gray, the Heineken Cup games are still a bit too early for them, but they are making good steady progress and are not far away now."

Blah blah Toonie. I yearn for a bit of Cockerill speaking hopelessly out of turn sometimes.

Ah George you poor boy. You'll be stuck in the sunny luxury of somewhere warm and affluent while anyone who is anyone will be shivering and drenched in rainy windy Execeterrr.   

15 Hoggy - his mojo is back thank goodness
14 Maitland
13 Sean L - needs must
12 Dunbar - cement his 6 Ns position if Scott is out
11 DTH VDM
10 Weir - get it together wee man we know you can do it
9 Madman
8 Wilson
7 Holmes
6 Strauss
5 Swinson
4 Ryder
3 Welsh
2 Hall
1 Grant

16 Low
17 MacArthur
18 Jerry Yaya
19 Big Naka
20 Fusaro
21 Harley
22 Jacko - can cover 10 and 12
21 Cusiter

6:2 bench but we know that's what he does

jimbopip wrote:Ah George you poor boy. You'll be stuck in the sunny luxury of somewhere warm and affluent while anyone who is anyone will be shivering and drenched in rainy windy Execeterrr.   

I never did successfully track what the cool kids are doing. Would love to be there for this game. Or indeed any now.

I will have to console myself with another Rolex Submariner.

Yes GC you can't go wrong wh a Submariner: after six months underwater they'll do anything for a Mars Bar.

Jeez ASBO - is the weather your end still horrendous. Calmer here but really bloody cold. Take it no danger to the game ?

jimbopip wrote:Yes GC you can't go wrong wh a Submariner: after six months underwater they'll do anything for a Mars Bar.

  but also, in a very real sense,

Gents, what is the dress code for Saturday afternoon? I have been offered a kilt by one of the more psychotic Murrays at my club (that is rugby club not a book-lined Chesterfield upholstered Gentleman's tea parlour for our MFL readers) are we making a statement?  

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Jeez ASBO - is the weather your end still horrendous.   Calmer here but really bloody cold.    Take it no danger to the game ?

Its suggesting cold but sunny (you may even need your shades - poss borrow some from friendly D4 Leinster-ites) at the moment, but highly changeable. The pitch is in excellent condition tho, drains easily (near a sand quarry), so expect the match to defo go ahead

jimbopip wrote:Gents, what is the dress code for Saturday afternoon? I have been offered a kilt by one of the more psychotic Murrays at my club (that is rugby club not a book-lined Chesterfield upholstered Gentleman's tea parlour for our MFL readers) are we making a statement?  

Its part of the clan demeanour!

I think you should certainly make a statement

Jeez I'd never thought I'd see the day where a glaswegian is talking fashion - are you gok wan in disguise??

RDW_Scotland wrote:Jeez I'd never thought I'd see the day where a glaswegian is talking fashion - are you kgok wang in disguise??

Fixed that for you, RDW, no charge on this occasion

Myself and a Glasgow pal will be in kilts JP and Asbo never takes his off so you won't be alone.

Question - is James Eddie (still) injured?

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Myself and a Glasgow pal will be in kilts JP and Asbo never takes his off so you won't be alone.

Question - is James Eddie (still) injured?

Don't think so - he was listed as a sub for the second leg against the Exfoliators.

From the Chiefs website:

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs are excited to announce that X Factor 2013 star Shelley Smith will be performing at this weekend’s Heineken Cup encounter with Glasgow Warriors at Sandy Park (3pm). Exeter-born Shelley, who made it through as one of the 12 contestants to Live Shows working alongside mentor Sharon Osbourne, will be performing live on the pitch at half-time during our latest European fixture.

Bubbly Shelley, a white-van driver from Exeter, entered The X Factor in the hope she could one day make a difference to her and her daughter Madeline’s lives. Having delivered car parts as a job for 15 years, Shelley took her chance to impress the Judges seriously and blasted out Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman at her room audition – prompting Nicole to label her a “hot tamale” and Sharon to insist she has a “lot of potential”.

The ‘Devonshire Diva’ then wowed the judges and a packed audience at Wembley Arena with her stunning voice, before continuing to impress during the live shows where she eventually bowed out in a second week sing-off against Kingsland Road. Now, though, she is set to raise the roof here at Sandy Park as she returns to home soil to perform for Saturday’s crowd.

Tickets for the game are still available either online by clicking here or through the Trading Post, which is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. - See more at: http://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/x-factor-star-perform-chiefs/#sthash.S1FDMDC2.dpuf




Super excited now.

 

Clownshoes reffing - that's the Warriors feiced then

Two additions to Exe's Heino Cup squad:

Exeter Chiefs
Additional player: Kieran DAVIES
Date of Birth: 2/12/1993
Position: Prop
Deregistered: Brett Sturgess

Additional player: Stuart TOWNSEND
Date of Birth: 11/10/1995
Position: Scrum half
Deregistered: Tom Hayes

Congrats lads

I saw Hornee Furra Linee tweeted that he had been running on the training pitch at Scotstoun on Monday. Any truth in the rumour that the Govan Ferry was launched to get him back to the changing rooms?
On a tangent I have just seen the news item about Stuart Broad and Matt Prior saving a depressed English cricket fan from jumping from a bridge down in OZ. Full credit to them but shame on the rest of the team who helped put him up there in the first place. (New boy Ben Stokes would be an honourable exception).

Anyone else a bit disappointed not to have seen more EDP players get game time and Finn Russell not getting too much of an opportunity at 10 so far this season? This could be a really good opportunity saying there isn't anything left in the HK now but press releases show G&T is taking these games seriously.

Nematode wrote:Anyone else a bit disappointed not to have seen more EDP players get game time and Finn Russell not getting too much of an opportunity at 10 so far this season? This could be a really good opportunity saying there isn't anything left in the HK now but press releases show G&T is taking these games seriously.  

Aye, but Tonnie's 'taking these games seriously' could be quite different to yours or mine!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Nematode wrote:Anyone else a bit disappointed not to have seen more EDP players get game time and Finn Russell not getting too much of an opportunity at 10 so far this season? This could be a really good opportunity saying there isn't anything left in the HK now but press releases show G&T is taking these games seriously.  

Aye, but Tonnie's 'taking these games seriously' could be quite different to yours or mine!

Are there not only certain/limited players allowed to play in the Heineken Cup? So G "I'll have a slice of lime with that" T will have to pick a relatively good side.

Nematode wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Nematode wrote:Anyone else a bit disappointed not to have seen more EDP players get game time and Finn Russell not getting too much of an opportunity at 10 so far this season? This could be a really good opportunity saying there isn't anything left in the HK now but press releases show G&T is taking these games seriously.  

Aye, but Tonnie's 'taking these games seriously' could be quite different to yours or mine!

Are there not only certain/limited players allowed to play in the Heineken Cup? So G "I'll have a slice of lime with that" T will have to pick a relatively good side.

There's 38 players nominated and as far as I can tell Glasgow have not opted to make any changes

  

Suppose these two bad-boy emoticons sum up Glasgow's hopes/run in the HC.

jimbopip wrote:On a tangent I have just seen the news item about Stuart Broad and Matt Prior saving a depressed English cricket fan from jumping from a bridge down in OZ. Full credit to them but shame on the rest of the team who helped put him up there in the first place. (New boy Ben Stokes would be an honourable exception).

I heard that Broad and Prior offered to catch the man. Apparently the sound if Australian policemen laughing could be heard in Tasmania...

IanBru wrote:

jimbopip wrote:On a tangent I have just seen the news item about Stuart Broad and Matt Prior saving a depressed English cricket fan from jumping from a bridge down in OZ. Full credit to them but shame on the rest of the team who helped put him up there in the first place. (New boy Ben Stokes would be an honourable exception).

I heard that Broad and Prior offered to catch the man. Apparently the sound if Australian policemen laughing could be heard in Tasmania...

    

News from Exeter is that Lloyd Fairbrother, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Romana Graham have been recalled from loan/DR at Plymouth Albion. Fairbrother will almost certainly be bench TH in the absence of Tui and Mitch, with Rimmer needed to cover LH with Sturge also out injured.

LCD and Graham now have some gametime after injury and both will be hoping for their frontline debuts for Chiefs.

There seems to be some thought that Scaysbrook may return to the backrow after a couple of months in the wilderness, so it may be that Rob Baxter is looking to shake up the team a little bit.

Dubbelyew L Overate wrote:News from Exeter is that Lloyd Fairbrother, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Romana Graham have been recalled from loan/DR at Plymouth Albion. Fairbrother will almost certainly be bench TH in the absence of Tui and Mitch, with Rimmer needed to cover LH with Sturge also out injured.

LCD and Graham now have some gametime after injury and both will be hoping for their frontline debuts for Chiefs.

There seems to be some thought that Scaysbrook may return to the backrow after a couple of months in the wilderness, so it may be that Rob Baxter is looking to shake up the team a little bit.

Interesting tiit-bits there, Dub, thanks

Haven't seen hide nor hair of Carpe Diem/Eff Ele on here for ages - is he still with us?

Some reasons for good cheer at SP: 2 players into the 6Ns squad (Johnson and Nowell), 2 into Saxons (Ewers and Slade) and a further 2 in England U20s (Conlon and Townsend)

From today's E&E:

Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow Warriors: Match preview

How Exeter Chiefs deal with their current adversity could be the making of them as a side, according to boss Rob Baxter.

At a time when they could do without it – with just one win in their last eight matches – the Sandy Park outfit are missing a host of senior players. Not only is scrum-half Haydn Thomas (back) out of action, but three senior props – Hoani Tui (neck), Brett Sturgess (knee) and Craig Mitchell (chest) – are also injured.

With clubs having to register 38 players for European games, that leaves them with props Ben Moon, Carl Rimmer, Alex Brown and Lloyd Fairbrother available for the last two Heineken Cup matches, starting with the visit of Glasgow this weekend. Baxter is planning to add 20-year-old academy prop Kieran Davies, from Sidmouth, to the European roster, while hookers Luke Cowan-Dickie and Greg Bateman started their careers as props. In addition, teenage scrum-half Stuart Townsend is also set to be named to cover for Thomas’ absence.

Baxter said: “Hoani (Tui) has been a very important player for us, but the making of a good Premiership side is that you deal with your important players not being there. This is an ideal opportunity for someone like Lloyd Fairbrother to potentially join the squad, an ideal opportunity potentially for Luke Cowan-Dickie to join the squad and maybe see someone like James Scaysbrook back in the starting line-up. These games are going to be very important for where we want to be at the end of the season.”

Tui was carried from the field on a stretcher late in the first half of Sunday’s 19-16 defeat against Wasps, and spent two nights in hospital. He has now returned home but, while Baxter said the signs are more encouraging than they were at first, the 29-year-old is not in contention to return to action soon.

“He (Tui) had various scans and there is a neck injury there but what they’re thinking now is that what they thought was a severe injury is actually an old one,” said Baxter. “It may be that the new injury is something more to do with swelling and bruising from a bang on the head earlier in the game, rather than a scrummaging neck injury, which was our first concern. The prognosis, considering the condition H was in at the time, is as good as it could be. We’ve got our fingers crossed that the further assessment of his neck will continue to be positive.”

With Exeter losing the away game against Glasgow in October, and both matches against defending champions Toulon last month, the Chiefs’ chances of progressing in Europe are out of their hands. However, Baxter wants his players to give their all against the Warriors and Cardiff next weekend as they look to continue to improve as a side.

“First and foremost it’s a Heineken Cup game and it’s at home so it’s a very important game,” he said. “We’ll approach the game full-on. We have picked up some bumps and bruises in the last couple of weeks so that will affect selection a little bit, but we’ll look to get out there and play well. If you play well you give yourself every opportunity of winning the game. With where we are now, we’ll take what comes,” he added. “We said we’d like to go into the last two games with something to chase in our table, and maybe that’s not the case, but what we can aim for is to keep driving the way we’re playing and looking to improve. I think we’ve been a bit better in the Heineken Cup than we were last year and these two games are going to be an important part of being better next year than we are this year.”