Come on Chiefs, you can do better than that...
Chiefs
By ExTeddChief
November 7 2011
ExTeddChief reviews the Chiefs narrow defeat at the hands of Gloucester...
Come on Chiefs, you can do better than that...
Exeter Chiefs 19 Gloucester 24
The start of the rugby Premiership season almost past me by. I was in my tent at the Baketball Fans Camp in Panevezys, Lithuania when I got a text from Dad saying that the Chiefs had beaten the Tigers. I got back home in time to make it to Sandy Park(though with finger bandaged and on anti-biotics due to infection) for the win against the Geordies and after that...
Well our awesome start to the season was coming to an end but maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel this time round. I failed to make it to see Gloscester’s trip to Sandy Park last year but if we could give the Quins a headache on their own patch then surely we’d be back to winning ways with this match.
So, off to the bus stop, get on 78, meet up with old guy John and then we’re off. Having had to settle for a recording of Welsh TV coverage of the Ospreys match it was good to be back at Sandy Park. What is now known as the North West Terrace was absolutely chocka with both Chiefs and Glaws fans alike. Time for a rumble.
Well it wasn’t long before the Chiefs opened the scoring with Steeno booting the ball over like old times. However our defence then had a braindead moment and we let through Freddie Burns for a try which he converted. After that though we steamed down to their line, best I could tell we were right on their line and their scrum kept collapsing. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen penalty tries given from there but...the ref had other ideas and Glaws cleared their lines. We weren’t done yet though and surged at their line yet again and seemingly went over this time. The cheers from around the ground told me all I needed to know, Tui claiming credit for the try through Steeno blew the conversion but still, the Chiefs led.
This was certainly turning into one hell of a rumble and one that at this point was way too close to call. Interesting a couple of Glaws fans were snarking at how their side were getting so little of the ball but given our own blown opportunity my sympathy was limited and I was just relieved to see Freddie miss another pen. Steeno showed how it should be done.
The Glaws fans continued to snark but come on...you’re on our turf and possession counts for zippo if you can’t do anything with it. The fact is, they didn’t seem to need that much possession anyway as right before half time we let them in again, Agapusi Quera grabbing the try and “Freddie” converting.
The last action of the first half saw a penalty attempt that was best described as ballsy. It was also way short. Losing at half time was of course, annoying but anything could happen in the second half. The second half was spent right in front of Rob in the West Stand where I always have to watch my volume slightly so I don’t interfere with the gaffer’s official instructions. As in was it seemed hardly any time at all before Glaws were surging at us once again, our defence was desperate and it eventually gave way, allowing Olly Morgan to surge down the far flank, another try for Glaws, Freddie converting.
Now we were in trouble and we didn’t really look like getting out of it. Chris Bentley came on to the screams of some girls that probably fancy him. Mitchell came on to my cheers. Yet we just couldn’t break through and when a guy like Sireli gets injured well...what can you say?
Eventually Steeno was replaced by Mieres and the Argie slotted a pen. Slight problem, “Freddie” replied in kind. The clock ticked down. The LBP was still worth going for right?
Well...we got it anyway, Barrett feeding Jess who surged down the line and couldn’t be stopped. Mieres blew the conversion.
Still, a quality rumble we were expecting and a quality rumble we got.
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I'm hoping that we'll get to see some more of the likes of Phibbs, Rennie, Tatupu, Muldowney, White, Mitchell, Ewers over the next couple of weeks' Amlin activity - think these players and others have all got a big contribution to make.
It might be tempting to become despondent as one looks at the AP table and sees Exe down in 8th, but with only 6 points separating 3rd to 9th, there's a long season still ahead of us
Just completed my results chart and frustrated to see we have picked up 4 LBP this season at places like Bath and the Stoop and two at home against Saracens and Gloucester. At Bath and Quins we payed well but gifted the opposition soft tries and did the same again last weekend. The pleasing aspect is we are staying in contention with these top teams who cannot claim that they were fielding depleted sides due to RWC commitments.
We now need to get back to winning ways, the loss of Sireli is a blow (the Telegraph reckon he will be out for at least a month) but Josh Tatupu is an ideal replacement and might give us more options in attack.
Don't we all think it is time to move on and not dwell on what was a bad day at the office? We have all seen the oObservations from everyone and noted the opinions of same.
It is still GHF!