Exeter Chiefs v Union Bordeaux Bègles

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I see that UBB are travelling over to Exeter using an A320 which seats 180 so perhaps they have flogged the spares to supporters willing to pay for a much easier journey.

Teams will be announced at 1300 today.

Exeter Chiefs

15 Tommy Wyatt

14 Ben Hammersley

13 Zack Wimbush

12 Tamati Tua

11 Paul Brown-Bampoe

10 Henry Slade

9 Stu Townsend

1 Scott Sio

2 Dan Frost

3 Josh Iosefa-Scott

4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

5 Franco Molina

6 Ethan Roots

7 Jacques Vermeulen

8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Max Norey

17 Will Goodrick-Clarke

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Rusi Tuima

20 Christ Tshiunza

21 Tom Cairns

22 Will Haydon-Wood

23 Will Rigg

Bordeaux Begles

15. Roman Boras
14. Damian Penaud
13. Yorem Moefana
12. Rohan Yense Van Rensburg
11. Pablo Uberti
10. Mathieu Jalibert
9. Maxime Lucu
1. Ugo Boniface
2. Maxime Mamothe
3. Carlo Sadie
4. Guido Petti
5. Cyril Cazeaux
6. Lachlan Swinton
7. Temu Matiu
8. Tevita Tatafu

Replacements
16. Romaine Latterade
17. Jefferson Poirot
18. Toma Tafau
19. Alexandre Ricard
20. Marko Gazzotti
21. Bastien Verches-Taillefer
22. Louis Bielle-Biarry
23. Yann Lesgourgues

Match Officials

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Adam Jones (Wales) and Gareth Newman (Wales)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)

Weather Forecast as at 1200 Friday

Light clouds and light winds from the east southeast
Temperature 6 degrees will feel like 6 degrees
Precipitation is not expected

TV Coverage

Only available on Premier Sports

Fantastic that Bordeaux have put out their first team and can even have French superstar international Bielle- Biarrey on the bench. They sit top of the Top14 having beaten Toulouse earlier in the season indicates the tough task at hand. They are brilliant ball in hand so we should see some fantastic rugby. It’s a miss match on paper but I have a feeling with the cold weather and maybe a damp ball we can keep the score below the Toulouse number.
Baxter says in his comments that we are ‘going for it’ which in my eyes would be play attacking rugby rather than kick the ball away all the time- we shall see tomorrow if it’s the later it will be a very long afternoon. Would like to have seen Rigg in the centre and Wimbush on the wing in place of Ben but not sure how much ball we will have tbh. Vincent’s absence again is a worry is he injured ?

Chiefs 24 Bordeaux 48

Given that Ben limped off last week, I wonder if he's even fully fit for this one?
Where is Dan John?
If we're really down to the bare bones, we should surely be looking at giving bench time to those U20 players who are apparently the future?
This isn't going to be pretty.

Chiefs 21 Bordeaux 54

A good side imho against this years in form French star studded team. Be interesting to see how the pack fares, if we can leave the yellow cards in the refs pocket we may give them a game.

Death. Taxes. Constant midfield changes.

Chiefs 24 - 47 Bordeaux.

#COYC

Cueto wasn't in touch, at least in my dreams.

Big challenge ahead for the lads. Would like to see us keeping the tempo high, ball in hand & not let the penalty count run away.
A win would be impressive but …

Chiefs 24 - 30 UBB

Chiefs 19 - 45 Bordeaux.

Our centre and wing positions look poor IMO

Chiefs 17 Bordeaux 51

Chiefs 21 : UBB 42 - hoping to be very wrong!

In Rob we trust.
By the way - cream on first. There's nothing to debate.

A thrashing I suspect will be forthcoming. I expect we will give away pens and cards as the pressure on us in defence will be huge. If we can keep our pens below 10 we will have done really well. BB 58 The Chiefs 24. If the game is close - less than 10 points we will have played really well. I see no Innard or Street ? both injured. I would have liked to see Vincent in the squad. The difference in the quality of players on paper reflects the huge financial disparity between the squad budgets between the prem, particularly us and Newcastle I suspect, and the French. Please no injuries.

Chiefs 23 Bordocks 39

Penaud will be worth watching and I do think we will contribute to an open game so :
Exeter 29 - Bordeaux 40

Surprised no one has yet mentioned the ref *hitehouse. No doubt he’ll be looking for his own headlines. Chiefs 19 Bordeaux 54

Can't see us getting close to them, Chiefs 17 - 42 Bordeaux

Don't understand why we are going full strength risking players we will need to avoid finishing bottom of the prem. Should surely be giving the 2nd string and youth the experience.
To me this is more poor leadership from Baxter. I also don't see us being competitive either.
Ex 18 - 42 Bordeaux. Really hope I'm wrong

Why would we throw U20s who haven't played at all at even Prem level into this game? What will they learn, how to collectively walk back to halfway? There's potential learning experiences and then there is setting people up to fail spectacularly. If opponent was weaker I'd agree but they aren't.

Exe 15 - 32 BB but I could be wrong!

We could at least give the likes of Coen a chance off the bench.
Jack Maunder made his debut at 19 years of age against Clermont, who were the top club in those days. Many of our other young stars did the same.

Quote from Rob Baxter at the time :

"In the past I've seen some very important players here have their first opportunities in big European cup games, and I think if you're going to make a debut Clermont at home is as good as it can be," head coach Rob Baxter told BBC Sport.

Coen is playing for England U20 next Friday so probably why not in the picture but Sinclair who is starting at 10 for Taunton would be a good shout, he is highly thought of I hear.

Ohhhhh F**k it!!! Chiefs 29 Bordeaux 25

It’s going to be a tough game, top French side

Chiefs 18 Bordeaux 39

Hmmmm....Chiefs 25 Bordeaux 35

Chiefs 18 - Begles 58

We all know that French teams don’t travel well (!), so it’s:
Chiefs 26, Bordeaux 22

Come and join us in the Supporter's Bar (formally Undercroft) at Sandy Park tomorrow from 13.45 tomorrow to meet the travelling Bordeaux Fans.

Seeing the videos, there's a fair few making their presence felt in Exeter tonight.

Let's give them a Sandy Park welcome

Tough ask here and the miserable season will continue chiefs17 borduaxbeggs 39 but you never no

Quote:

Not Manichean
Chiefs 23 Bordocks 39

Bolleaux Monsieur

Chiefs 26 Bordeaux 43

Quote:

Osmium

Quote:

Not Manichean
Chiefs 23 Bordocks 39

Bolleaux Monsieur

Vraiment!

I only hope that we aren't the laughingsteaux this afternoon!

Everything points to a heavy loss. Chiefs 32 UBB 31 because every now and again miracles do happen 🤩. Mais, je ne sais rien.

Looking forward to seeing some more French stars. At Sandy Park.

My understanding is that we need to finish 5th in the group)ahead of Ulster to get into the Challenge Cup? Important for more revenue. I’m guessing that’s why we are persisting without giving our younger players experience.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:01:11:08:39:06 by Currychef.

Quote:

Currychef
My understanding is that we need to finish 5th in the group)ahead of Ulster to get into the Challenge Cup? Important for more revenue. I’m guessing that’s why we are persisting without giving our younger players experience.

So, even a LBP today would be great as long as Ulster get nothing at Welford Rd, then we go to Belfast and win, simples 🤞

As it stands Chiefs and Ulster are level pegging
————- P - W - L. - D - —PD - Tries - TB - LTB - PTS
Chiefs__ 2__0.__ 0__2 __ - 61 __ 6 ___ 0 ___0 ___ 0
Ulster. __2__ 0.__0.__2__ - 61 __. 6 ___0 ___0.___ 0

Also bearing in mind -
If two or more clubs in the same pool are equal on match points, their ranking will be determined as follows:
(i) the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage; or
(ii) if equal, the number of tries scored in the pool stage; or
(iii) if equal, by drawing lots.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2025:01:11:11:33:05 by Scottish Chief .

An LBP and maybe a TBP would be nice. A win would be magnificent.

Not sure I can see any of those happening but I'll go with a possible LBP and hope for the others .... Chiefs 22 UBB 28

Chiefs 14 BB 52

There’s a few of our lads playing eng u20’s today coen James lilley

As we managed to get 3 past Toulouse, I think perhaps we have a better chance of the try bonus than the losing bonus. But that doesn't make it a good chance!

Exeter 29 - 52 Bordeaux

Chiefs 19 BB 45 let's just hope no injuries! Be nice if it was closer, unfortunately, I can't see it. We've not had much luck with injuries, that and selection issues have given us an inexperienced and unsettled back line. I think that's where BB really have the edge.

Right now it’s about dreaming. The reality check is in a few hours. 🫣

Quote:

Currychef
Right now it’s about dreaming. The reality check is in a few hours. 🫣

And so the dream bubble burst and reality kicked area. Well played UBB.