Exeter vs Bristol - Saturday - 4.30 pm

[twitchy]

Should be a good game.

[fivepointer]

This should be intriguing. Neither side at their best but both with plenty of quality on offer.

[fivepointer]

Exe were very good in the 1st half and should have had the game rapped up by h/t. Cracking team try finished off by O'Flaherty was a highlight. Spirited effort from Bris to come back and a losing BP isnt the worst result for them.
Sinckler's poor form should be a concern with the 6N looming.

[twitchy]

Yep good win in the end.

[Timbo]

First 40 was the best I’ve seen Chiefs play for ages. Feel like they’re close to clicking.

[FKAS]

Bristol look bereft of confidence and their attacking play is MIA. For the second week in a row no try from phase play. Vs Tigers it was a break from a Tigers knock on and a clever quick tap from a freekick, yesterday and interception. Last season Bristol had the most watchable and lethal attack in the league. I really don't know how it's gone south so quickly, especially with all the big guns back now they should be doing better.

Chiefs look to be ominously building up a head of steam. Tough start for them with injuries and Lions call ups but they seem to be getting back to where they want to be.

[Raggs]

Bristol look bereft of confidence and their attacking play is MIA. For the second week in a row no try from phase play. Vs Tigers it was a break from a Tigers knock on and a clever quick tap from a freekick, yesterday and interception. Last season Bristol had the most watchable and lethal attack in the league. I really don't know how it's gone south so quickly, especially with all the big guns back now they should be doing better.

Chiefs look to be ominously building up a head of steam. Tough start for them with injuries and Lions call ups but they seem to be getting back to where they want to be.

Before they had their main backline players back, I figured it was a personnel issue. Now I'm not so sure, maybe they've simply been figured out by defence coaches, and haven't adapted.

[fivepointer]

Something is definitely amiss with Bristol right now. There is a lack of form across the whole squad. Very few players are at the level they were at last season. Some have been seriously under performing. Injuries have played a part here, but its a bit more than that.
Its almost as if the defeat to Quins and then the opening day loss to Saracens have dented their belief to a high degree.
They've lost the devil in their play which made them so good to watch and difficult to contain.

[Mikey Brown]

Or maybe Ben Earl is far better than we thought.

[FKAS]

Or maybe Ben Earl is far better than we thought.

Perhaps the loss of Malins as a secondary playmaker has hampered their attacking game more than expected.

[twitchy]

[jimKRFC]

With regards to Max Malins and Ben Earl they played 9 & 11 games for Bristol (a few of those off the bench), and we did ok in the games they didn't play, so I don't think they can take all the credit for the slump.

Same with injuries, we had loads last season and still kept winning, but (imho) this season it's really hit the props & once the set piece goes you start you struggle all over. Radradra is only just back from months out so is getting back into form.

The problem seems to be mental - everything is a little off, one week scrums, then line outs, then linking play.. I'm also not sure Afoa is working well with the forwards, It might come good but currently you have to say the pack is a shadow of last seasons. It took Iro (Mark Irish, now at Worcs) a while to step up so it might be the same now. Given we're awful I'd like to see the young players getting more game time though - not a lot to lose now is there.

Anyway - never a better season to be rubbish than this one! Although, the lack of threat has made it utterly uninteresting for me so has joined F1 (what the hell was Masi thinking?) on the m'eh pile...

[Mikey Brown]

I wasn't being serious about Earl (or Malins) - it was clearly all that second big loss to Quins.

[jimKRFC]

it was clearly all that second big loss to Quins.

To be honest I think that has a lot to do with it - playing well, big lead and then fall apart.. It seems to have ripped all the confidence out of the team. Think we need a bit of a clear out and try re-instil the belief they had.

[p/d]

Or maybe Ben Earl is far better than we thought.

[Banquo]

Or maybe Ben Earl is far better than we thought.

Perhaps the loss of Malins as a secondary playmaker has hampered their attacking game more than expected.

iirc he was on the wing a fair bit?

[FKAS]

Or maybe Ben Earl is far better than we thought.

Perhaps the loss of Malins as a secondary playmaker has hampered their attacking game more than expected.

iirc he was on the wing a fair bit?

He was but he often had a free roaming role in attack where he could join the attack as he wanted or would loop round and act as the secondary playmaker outside the centres with other winger and fullback running off him. I'm not much of a Lam fan but it was an inventive use of a playmaking winger.

[Banquo]

Perhaps the loss of Malins as a secondary playmaker has hampered their attacking game more than expected.

iirc he was on the wing a fair bit?

He was but he often had a free roaming role in attack where he could join the attack as he wanted or would loop round and act as the secondary playmaker outside the centres with other winger and fullback running off him. I'm not much of a Lam fan but it was an inventive use of a playmaking winger.

Did he? I saw him scoring a fair few tries on the end of moves, but then again I haven't studied Brizz play much. The free roaming (blindside) wing role is something I quite like, as does Eddie, it seems....but it does lead to other complications, as we saw when we effectively had three centres in a line. I prefer it to losing the depth that a good running 15 offers though,

[Scrumhead]

I think there are a number of elements to it.

Siale Piutau seems to be a massive loss. His leadership and all-round quality at 12 haven’t been replaced. No disrespect to Sam Bedlow, but he is just not at the level Piutau was and from an on-field leadership POV, key players like Luatua, Attwood and Afoa* have only featured in a handful of games.

Also, while I wouldn’t necessarily class Radradra as a leader in the same way, he’s definitely and inspiration for his team mates and not having him available until recently has blunted their attack (he also makes big hits in defence).

Bristol were at their best when Radradra, Charles Piutau and (to a lesser extent) Naulago were playing instinctive, unstructured rugby. They haven’t had that opportunity so far this season.

In parallel, Sheedy is also too predictable. He seems to have forgotten he can run with the ball, so defences know he’s going pass and just press up.

Lastly, Malins and Earl might not have played that many games last season, but they are both top class players who added a lot. Replacing neither hasn’t helped.

*yes, I know he’s a player coach now

[Banquo]

I think there are a number of elements to it.

Siale Piutau seems to be a massive loss. His leadership and all-round quality at 12 haven’t been replaced. No disrespect to Sam Bedlow, but he is just not at the level Piutau was and from an on-field leadership POV, key players like Luatua, Attwood and Afoa* have only featured in a handful of games.

Also, while I wouldn’t necessarily class Radradra as a leader in the same way, he’s definitely and inspiration for his team mates and not having him available until recently has blunted their attack (he also makes big hits in defence).

Bristol were at their best when Radradra, Charles Piutau and (to a lesser extent) Naulago were playing instinctive, unstructured rugby. They haven’t had that opportunity so far this season.

In parallel, Sheedy is also too predictable. He seems to have forgotten he can run with the ball, so defences know he’s going pass and just press up.

Lastly, Malins and Earl might not have played that many games last season, but they are both top class players who added a lot. Replacing neither hasn’t helped.

*yes, I know he’s a player coach now

Totally agree on Siale...pretty undersung I'd say.

[Oakboy]

Hughes's form disintegrating has not helped either.

[Peej]

Hughes was always a bit of a passenger, to be honest.

[Beasties]

I think there are a number of elements to it.

Siale Piutau seems to be a massive loss. His leadership and all-round quality at 12 haven’t been replaced. No disrespect to Sam Bedlow, but he is just not at the level Piutau was and from an on-field leadership POV, key players like Luatua, Attwood and Afoa* have only featured in a handful of games.

Also, while I wouldn’t necessarily class Radradra as a leader in the same way, he’s definitely and inspiration for his team mates and not having him available until recently has blunted their attack (he also makes big hits in defence).

Bristol were at their best when Radradra, Charles Piutau and (to a lesser extent) Naulago were playing instinctive, unstructured rugby. They haven’t had that opportunity so far this season.

In parallel, Sheedy is also too predictable. He seems to have forgotten he can run with the ball, so defences know he’s going pass and just press up.

Lastly, Malins and Earl might not have played that many games last season, but they are both top class players who added a lot. Replacing neither hasn’t helped.

*yes, I know he’s a player coach now

Totally agree on Siale...pretty undersung I'd say.

Totes. I said as much on another forum yest. I was a big fan of his when he was at Wasps. And his brother.