Exeter vs Bath (sat 2 pm)

[twitchy]

[fivepointer]

Exe's best front row starting, with Simmonds and Nowell on the bench.

Like the look of the Bath line up. This could be a cracking game.

[Mellsblue]

For goodness sake, when will Bath play Watson at fullback.

[Puja]

Bath demand South Africa return Louw from international duty and then don't pick him. Cold!

Puja

[Banquo]

Bath demand South Africa return Louw from international duty and then don't pick him. Cold!

Puja

yet let Faletau stay?

[Mellsblue]

Bath demand South Africa return Louw from international duty and then don't pick him. Cold!

Puja

yet let Faletau stay?

His contract states he is available for all Wales matches. Allegedly, they did try and bribe him but he said no.

[Banquo]

Bath demand South Africa return Louw from international duty and then don't pick him. Cold!

Puja

yet let Faletau stay?

His contract states he is available for all Wales matches. Allegedly, they did try and bribe him but he said no.

ah ok, the taffs seemed to think he wouldn't be available, and then he was

[Which Tyler]

Bath demand South Africa return Louw from international duty and then don't pick him. Cold!

Puja

yet let Faletau stay?

His contract states he is available for all Wales matches. Allegedly, they did try and bribe him but he said no.

Yup - looks like Dr Bob accepted the bribe, whilst Taulupe didn't. Bath expecting a £60k fine the same as Saints got with North; which, whilst it takes the piss, there would be some serious questions to answer if PRL set that precedent and then don't stick to it. The North fine was pitiful, but they boxed themselves in with that precedent

Personally I favour sticking to the £60k fine; but escalating it to apply for any and all weekends he plays for Wales outside of IRB9; and also saying that henceforth, each new case will have a 50% increase in the tariff. So £90k per match for Player3; £135k per match for Player 4; £202k per match for Player 4 etc.

[Digby]

50% increases seems too much, unless it's maybe just for that player at that club. And each new player starts with a fine of £60k

[Which Tyler]

50% increases seems too much, unless it's maybe just for that player at that club. And each new player starts with a fine of £60k

The point is to stop it happening - and that £60k is too little (as it was 2 years ago when they applied it). Also, I'm not escalating for the player, I'm escalating for each further breach of the regulations.
Saints were fined £60k for North, as a one-off fine, whether he played for Wales once or 6 times outside of IRB9.
I'd count Faletau as a £60k fine each and every time he plays for Wales outside of IRB9.
If Biggar has this in his contract; then Saints would pick up a £90k fine each and every time he plays for Wales outside of IRB9.
I'm not suggesting that Bath are fined £60k this year, then £90k next year, then £135k if he's still around in 2020.

I will allow though, that the increase should apply by the season busted, not the player number; otherwise you could see Bath being fined £60k for Faletau, then Quins being fined £90k for Roberts, and then Saints being fined £135k for Biggar all in the same day because they took the clubs in alphabetical order.

Oh, and I forgot to say - the fine should be counted within the salary cap as well (as it's essentially putting that part of the player's salary outside the cap); even if it leads to points deductions at the end of the season.

[Digby]

I agree they should be fined for each breach. Though whether that breach is by contract or game I don't have a position on, just if by contract then a 5 year contract is a cheaper fine than a 2 year one. I still think doubling the fine for each breach too much

[Which Tyler]

Back to this match... I don't think it's going to be a great one for the neutral.
1 team who love to play with the ball, and keep hold of it for as long as possible.
1 team who love to kick the ball away, and pressure the opponents with their defence.

Expect the possession stats to be horrendously one-sided (could we see 80:20?), and that even the most miserly of defences won't keep a team like Exeter out with that much ball.

[Mellsblue]

Dallaglio proving he’s never defended in the wide channels. Healey’s analysis of that try was spot on. Dallaglio’s was not.

[Raggs]

So, is Digby watching?

[Tigersman]

Dallaglio proving he’s never defended in the wide channels. Healey’s analysis of that try was spot on. Dallaglio’s was not.

I'm just thankful he isn't doing the wasps game.

[twitchy]

Amazing first half from an exe perspective.

[Mellsblue]

Obanno is putting some serious hits in. Bath far too passive otherwise.

[Mellsblue]

And a nice carry.

[Mellsblue]

What a try that is.

[Mellsblue]

Kudos to Bath. I’d have mentally been in the pub at about 50 mins.

[fivepointer]

A try BP after getting the run around for an hour is some return for Bath. Exeter were really excellent for most of the game.
All of their pack were first rate, but it was nice to see Kvesic getting a full 80 and playing so well. LCD had a good 50 minutes and i'm liking Sam Skinner a lot.
Mercer was good for Bath.

[Which Tyler]

Dallaglio proving he’s never defended in the wide channels. Healey’s analysis of that try was spot on. Dallaglio’s was not.

Yup, live, I thought that Watson shouldn't be trusted his inside man, and nailed Short; on Healey's replay we could all see Waldron's line, that sat both defenders back; great play by Ex rather than poor defence.

Obanno is putting some serious hits in. Bath far too passive otherwise.

Yup, way too passive, no energy in defence; and no ball carriers taking the ball on the move, and no realistic dummy runners at all, bx kicks were a touch too long, but rarely chased properly... until that final 15 minutes (surely we weren't pacing ourselves from the start to allow that finish)

[twitchy]

Good come back from bath. Plus yeah fivepointer, LCD looked really, really good. Turnovers, carries, tackles he is such a good player.

[Mellsblue]

I thought Hill went well. He may be an option for the physical midfielder if he carries that through to Feb.

[Mikey Brown]

Will he play enough? On that note where is Devoto? He can do it all.