Thursday Night Lights, La Rochelle v Exeter Chiefs

Atlantique Stade Rochelais v Exeter Chiefs, Stade Marcel Deflandre
Thursday, 4th December 2014, 19.45 GMT
Sky Sports

Challenge Cup, Pool 2

Pool 2 is finely balanced after the first 2 rounds, with Exeter leading on 6 points, Connacht on 5 with La Rochelle and Bayonne both on 4.

La Rochelle were tonked by Connacht at the Sportsground in Round 1, but rallied to beat Bayonne at home in front of 13,000 spectators.

Exeter conceded a last minute try to lose at Bayonne, but comfortably beat Connacht at Sandy Park in Round 2.

Newly promoted La Rochelle are languishing in 13th place in T14, but with 4 wins and a draw they're only 7 points behind 6th place. The draw came last weekend, when a 77th minute penalty earned visitors (and pool rivals) Bayonne a 19 - 19 tie.

Chiefs dropped a place in AP last weekend, despite a win over Sarries (with Steenson kicking a record equalling 9 penalties, missing none) and sit in 3rd place.


Teams:

La Rochelle
15. Jean-Pascal Barraque; 14. Botia Veivuke, 13. Alofa Alofa, 12. Kini Murimurivalu, 11. Damien Cler; 10. Jules Lebail, 9. Julien Audy; 1. Jordan Seneca, 2. Benjamin Geledan, 3. Benoit Bourrust, 4. Jacobus Grobler, 5. Leo Cedaro, 6. Benoit Guyot, 7. Nicolas Djebaili (c), 8. Loann Goujon
16. Rassie Jansen van Vuuren, 17. Vincent Pelo, 18. Lekso Kaulashvili, 19. Albain Meron, 20. Jone Qovu Nailiko, 21. Kevin Gourdon, 22. Fabien Fortassin, 23. Hamish Gard

Exeter Chiefs
15. Byron McGuigan; 14. Matt Jess, 13. Adam Hughes, 12. Ian Whitten, 11. Tom James; 10. Gareth Steenson (c), 9. Haydn Thomas; 1. Brett Sturgess, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Moray Low, 4. Mitch Lees, 5. Ryan Caldwell, 6. Dave Ewers, 7. Ben White, 8. Kai Horstmann
16. Greg Bateman, 17. Carl Rimmer, 18. Alex Brown, 19. Dean Mumm, 20. James Scaysbrook, 21. Dave Lewis, 22. Ceri Sweeney, 23. Fetu'u Vainikolo


As ever in the Challenge/Amlin Cup, frontline players are rested and rotated, particularly in these Thursday night fixtures with the short turn around. ASR have retained most of their backline from last weekend, but heavily rotated their pack, and have split their bench 6/2.

Exeter have rotated throughout, retaining 5 starters from the Sarries game and promoting most of the bench. All of the squad have AP experience, and most have played in HC. Byron McGuigan, who's only been in Devon for a few weeks, has been added to the Eurosquad and starts at 15. Mitch Lees has returned from injury and is reunited with Ryan Caldwell in the starting 2nd row from the beginning of the season. Steenson and Thomas make a highly experienced halfback combination, with the bludgeon of Whitten and the rapier of Hughes outside them in the centres.

The Exeter demographics:

2 Scots (although one's a saffer)
3 Welsh
3 Irish (all Ulstermen)
2 Zimbabweans
1 Tongan
3 Aussies
9 English

7 full internationals
13 EQP's

How are McGuigan and Low getting on with you guys? I see Low has been getting a bit of game time, has Byron?

Would be good to see them doing well!

Moray had a slow start, a bit of a penalty machine at the scrum, but seems to have settled in nicely now. He's been benching in the AP but had his first start against Sarries and helped to marmalize their scrum. The previous week, it was Wasps who were doing the marmalizing and Tomas Francis, the starting TH, was yellowcarded. Moray helped stabilise the scrum, and with the other front row replacements, did a bit of marmalizing back. He's scored a try too.

Moray Low about a month ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1qT1f1jvZw

Bit early for Byron - he played in LV the first week he was here and was understandably a bit quiet, and he's been benching with only a few minutes on the pitch. Our spare full back, Botha, was broken long term by Namibia so he should get plenty of appearances. Not sure if he'll replace Dollman at full back, but if he does, he'll be playing very well. He had a full ITM season after he left Glasgow, though, so I expect he'll need some resting.

Byron McGuigan after his first Chiefs game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEwm2JXu1H4

Chiefs fans do you think this is winnable? I try to watch Exeter games when they're on TV and to say they are impressive would be an understatement, but looking at ASR's home record in the Top 14 (one loss and one draw) I'm not sure. Predictions?

Winnable, yes. Confident, not particularly.

Rain is forecast, and ASR have the reputation of a strong forwards game, although it seems that they lost 2 Looseheads to injury last weekend.

Part of the joy of Euro competitions is the unknown, or unfamiliar, abilities of opponents. With the short turn around neither team will likely have had the chance to deeply analyse the other or train in countering strengths, or exploiting weaknesses.

Chiefs have moved from an expansive running game to a tighter tactical territorial strategy in recent weeks. However, this team doesn't have the kicking skills of Slade, Dollman and Nowell, with just Steenson as a recognised tactical kicker.

A lot will depend on the set-pieces. Exe should go well in the scrums, but neither LCD nor Bateman are particularly consistent with their throwing in to the line out.

Overall, I'm expecting a tight game from ASR, with Exe giving it a bit of a lash in the backs. The much derided Tom James is still an effective strike runner, as is Fets on the bench, and Whitten is under-rated both as a carrier and a distributor.

In the end, though, Steeno's form off the tee is likely to prevail, but then again, its a Scottish team of officials, so who knows which way the penalties will go.

Bookies have Exe by 2 or 3 - I'd be delighted with +8, but not expecting a TBP, and be disappointed without a LBP.

Chiefs leading 17 - 7 at half time - all a bit hectic.

Visited La Rochelle in the summer. Beautiful place and completely bonkers on rugby. Don't think I saw a football shirt whilst I was there. Most of the bars have posters up proclaiming their support for the rugby team.

Sadly I don't think the rugby team are up to much. Well organised, decent set piece but promoted last season and I think favourites for relegation. I'd have thought Exeter would win this. How's LCD doing?

10 - 36 bonus point win in the end

Steeno Man of the Match despite missing his last touchline conversion.

LCD busy with his tackling and hit his jumpers, and Ryan Caldwell was prominent. Tom James was both dangerous and erratic, joyously so.

Scrum under pressure, though, and ASR found space chipping behind the defensive line.

Happy plane home tonight for the boys - stuff to work on but in control of the pool..

La Rochelle. Ah, reminds me of studying French with the "Tricolore" series. Everything took place in La Rochelle.

Well done Chiefs

Cyril wrote:La Rochelle. Ah, reminds me of studying French with the "Tricolore" series. Everything took place in La Rochelle.

Well done Chiefs

And everyone's favourite band was the Gipsy Kings.

I wonder how the Dhome family bakery is faring under the Hollande administration.

It was crushing to find out that there was no such address as 12 rue de la Republique...