RugbyRebels

Leicester: Veainu; Malouf, Smith, Toomua May; G Ford, B Youngs; Genge, T Youngs (capt), Cole; Wells, Barrow; M Williams, Hamilton, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: McGuigan, Bateman, Mulipola, Mapapalangi, O'Connor, Harrison, J Ford, Tait.

Exeter: Turner; Nowell, Slade, Whitten, Woodburn; Steenson, Townsend; Moon, Yeandle (capt), Francis, Lees, Hill, Dennis, Salvi, Armand.

Replacements: Taione, Hepburn, H Williams, Skinner, Kvesic, Chudley, Bodilly, Dollman.

Kvesic makes the bench finally!

Looking forward to this - it'll be the real test as to where our season is going after a very off and on first month.

Puja

Wasn't he on the bench the first two rounds?

He was

Also on the bench with Townsend starting is Chudley

Digby wrote:He was

Also on the bench with Townsend starting is Chudley

Is Maunder injured? Or just really pissed off?

Puja

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:He was

Also on the bench with Townsend starting is Chudley

Is Maunder injured? Or just really pissed off?

Puja

I did hear he'd picked up a knock, but I was sorely tempted just to write that Chudley was simply rated ahead of him

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:He was

Also on the bench with Townsend starting is Chudley

Is Maunder injured? Or just really pissed off?

Puja

he should have a chat with Freddie

Freddie's injured though. I know to my cost as he was a last minute drop out in my fantasy team two weeks on the trot. I assume he wasn't selected for the first game through injury and he hasn't really recovered.

Back to Maunder, I think we all knew game time was going to be at a premium. I don't think there's a huge amount to choose between him and Townsend, so as long as one of them is playing (and playing well), I'm fairly ambivalent as to which one it is.

Maunder is definitely injured, not sure what with or when he'll be back though.

Hard to call this one ... Tigers have home advantage and came away with a good few positives from the Quins game, but Exeter look like a well-oiled machine at the moment.

Scrumhead wrote:Freddie's injured though. I know to my cost as he was a last minute drop out in my fantasy team two weeks on the trot. I assume he wasn't selected for the first game through injury and he hasn't really recovered.

Freddie missed basically all of pre-season with a head knock.
Sat the bench first weekend (Leicester); and wan't used.
Got 23 minutes second week (Saracens), and looked pretty assured, but not so much familiar with those around him (stonking tackle of Fazlet though).
Week 3 (Saints) he came on when Banahan got injured, and played FB for a few minutes before Watson went off too. He was one of many players getting treatment out on the pitch in that last 10 minutes or so.
Week 4 (Newcastle) he was a late withdrawal with a leg injury - I don't know any more details than that though - may well have picked it up against Saints for all I know.

Is this all action Hepburn's first appearance (from the bench) this season or have I just not been paying attention. Like him a lot.

I believe so. I'm a big fan of Hepburn's too. If he can get back to his pre-injury form, he'll be one to watch for sure.

Nowell failed a late fitness test.

Do we know what's up with Genge? Don't want to see anyone injured, but the odd niggle seems to be the best, and maybe only, way he's going to get the sort of rest he needs, at his age, in his position.

I think it's that horrible growth on his upper lip ...

Teams competing just as much at the breakdown as ever. New breakdown laws have made virtually no discernible difference.

Healey and Dayglo seem to be defending diving, arms free clear outs here?

Biggest thing I took from watching the replays of that clean out was the huge gap Townsend missed.

Top class finish.

Timbo wrote:Teams competing just as much at the breakdown as ever. New breakdown laws have made virtually no discernible difference.

Just as I drew the opposite conclusion from the 1st 20 mins last week....

has to be a yellow shewerly?

Has to be, it's dangerous play even if Dollman's foot hit the ground first.

Bad decision for me

Banquo wrote:

Timbo wrote:Teams competing just as much at the breakdown as ever. New breakdown laws have made virtually no discernible difference.

Just as I drew the opposite conclusion from the 1st 20 mins last week....

Baxter saying that he thinks one has directly influenced the other.

Which Tyler wrote:Has to be, it's dangerous play even if Dollman's foot hit the ground first.

Bad decision for me

Terrible decision, his foot touching down miliseconds before the small of his back slams into the floor doesn't make it any less dangerous.