Chiefs bow out of Heineken Cup

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.

Let Rob Baxter get on with what he does best and that, at present, involves a strategy that gives the squad more game time ready for the return and run in of the Premiership. To finish top six, should there be any sort of European rugby competition next season, is important but if you look at the few points that split up the middle group of clubs then top four is a realistic ambition.

To achieve top six will take a squad effort and what we know at present is that we have 20 or so genuine first team players and a number of squad members who can come in and do a job. What we don’t have yet is an in depth squad that can swap round from week to week which means some of these guys are going to be very tired come May. Some of the others have now got to bust a gut to make sure they put in the effort in training and then bust an even bigger gut with the opportunities they are going to get over the next three weeks.

The recent run of defeats was only to be expected at some point in the journey and if you look at Quins and Gloucester's performances this season you can see how easy it is to have a run of bad results but Quins have come back and Gloucester are getting better but until the big grunts they have signed for next season arrive may still struggle.

It’s all part of the fun and before the season is over we will have a few more bad days and believe me some great days. I’ll tell you what though and its best we don’t forget “A bad day in the Premiership beats the hell out of a good day in the Championship”. So heads up and let’s get back to the fun and remember how lucky we are.

Quote:

Tommy Hawkeye

It’s all part of the fun and before the season is over we will have a few more bad days and believe me some great days. I’ll tell you what though and its best we don’t forget “A bad day in the Premiership beats the hell out of a good day in the Championship”. So heads up and let’s get back to the fun and remember how lucky we are.

Just hoping that we don't have too many more bad days in the premiership and start slipping toward the bottom of the table.

For my part I think that a year without Heineken or even European rugby wouldn't hurt us.

I tend to agree with you somewhat Jim.I think it does spread us pretty thin.It would`nt be the end of the world.

Only slight problem might be attracting/retention of players if not in the big competitions.

Quote:

Geronimo Jim
For my part I think that a year without Heineken or even European rugby wouldn't hurt us.

+1

Though saying that, I left SP on Saturday feeling very disappointed but in the cold light of a new week I can see it was an achievement for the guys on the day given the opposition and we will indeed have a few regular 1st fifteen starters who'll have had a well earned rest when the league action kicks back in.
In Rob we trust!

Missing out on European club cup rugby would be detrimental for the club, no question about it, in my mind. Pitting ourselves against the best clubs in Europe is the best way to learn and improve, as is widely acknowledged across all sports. Additionally, we, the fans, will lose out on the best spectacle available - a real shame

But sometimes you need to draw breath and regroup. These last few years have been manic and we have overachieved expectations and our early targets.

I enjoy the big games as much as anyone but I do think that the Heineken in particular is a big drain on us and may partly account for the apparent dip in form.

European Rugby is a double edged sword isn`t it.
As people have mentioned you have to play better sides/players to improve as a team and individuals but in the same way as a player it tests your body to the max and undoubtedly it has left its mark on the players and the team as we have looked a bit laboured since the Toulon matches.
For what it is worth,I think we have been unlucky with the draw in the first 2 seasons in the Heino,and in the fixtures order this year with Toulon back to back in amongst a tough run of Premiership fixtures.If we had a kinder draw or fixtures then the effects would not of been so bad imo but that is the seeding system.
Last season was a remarkable effort to get that Heino spot and this year we are not so far reaching those heights,but there is time for a re-group although the teams around us have strengthened from last season and we will now lose players to international calls so if we do make 6th place it will be an even better effort than last year for me.
I think we have missed the wise old heads of Richie and Tommy this season so I feel that has had an impact too.

Quote:

Zyder head
For what it is worth,I think we have been unlucky with the draw in the first 2 seasons in the Heino,and in the fixtures order this year with Toulon back to back in amongst a tough run of Premiership fixtures.If we had a kinder draw or fixtures then the effects would not of been so bad imo but that is the seeding system.

Intuitively the seeding system felt unfair to me, but I've been fiddling about with the figures and (HEC uncertainty notwithstanding) a win against Cardiff could pull us up to the 3rd pot of seeds I think.

Quote:

Poking With Sticks

Quote:

Zyder head
For what it is worth,I think we have been unlucky with the draw in the first 2 seasons in the Heino,and in the fixtures order this year with Toulon back to back in amongst a tough run of Premiership fixtures.If we had a kinder draw or fixtures then the effects would not of been so bad imo but that is the seeding system.

Intuitively the seeding system felt unfair to me, but I've been fiddling about with the figures and (HEC uncertainty notwithstanding) a win against Cardiff could pull us up to the 3rd pot of seeds I think.

If correct that would be one hell of an achievement.

Actually, don't get too excited, I think I've miscalculated that.

Further musing on seeding: I think the problem is that the seeding is meritocratic but the entry to the HEC isn't. You end up with a side which performed very poorly last season - say Glasgow or Scarlets - being in pot 3 because higher ranked English or French sides DNQ. If they pull the double bonus of Zebre (no disrespect intended) then the whole thing is self-reinforcing.

If we DNQ next season we'll effectively be starting again.