Gallagher Premiership Recap: Things we learnt
Rob Baxter's Exeter are unbeaten, but haven't hit top gear just yet
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We are at the mid-point of the week and Greg Boon has picked out four talking points from Round Five's action in the Gallagher Premiership.
Exeter have more to offer, but offer enough for most
I wrote recently for TRU that the race for the title is already a two horse race between Saracens and Exeter. If either of the sides is likely to slip up though, it will be the Chiefs. Exeter continued their unbeaten start and recorded their fourth try bonus point against a much improved Worcester Warriors. They were far from their best though, as they were against Newcastle last week and before that.
While Saracens look fluid Exeter are yet to find their spark, a scary prospect given their results. but one that will likely be giving Rob Baxter cause for concern. It’s hard to see them being beaten at home but a slip on the road looks a possibility. The Chiefs were typically relentless against Worcester. Their power runners were typically direct, but the clinical edge that marks them as champions is missing, going 25 minutes without scoring against the Warriors. The second half brought the two tries they needed to bring up the bonus point, but it was as Rob Baxter commented post-match, a “sloppy” performance in after the interval.
Bath’s squad rotation
It felt that Bath’s Director of Rugby Todd Blackadder had been just one result away from being shown the exit. After the disappointment of last season and despite the inconsistent start to this, Blackadder has been awarded a one year contract extension. If your one result away from being out of a job then the last team you want to play is Saracens. However, with contract extension in hand Blackadder travelled to the Allianz with a much-changed squad.
This was a luxury Blackadder didn’t have a week ago, but his weakened squad performed admirably, though they were only on top for the first 10 minutes. Questions remain whether travelling with such an under strengthened side amounts to throwing the towel in, Saracens are on another level but that shouldn’t stop teams from challenging them. Without doubt, teams need to rest and rotate players but there is a happy medium that ensures this, while still providing a competition for fans and stakeholders. It’s been sometime since we have seen a club take this road and it doesn’t reflect well on Bath.
Same old Gloucester
A new coach, a new ethos and a star studded squad but the same old inconsistencies. Gloucester lost their second game in a row, falling to Harlequins at home in Round Five. The Cherry & Whites would have seen this as a chance to put last week’s defeat to Saracens behind them. It was a bonus point opportunity, but they didn’t think it would be a losing bonus point. Quins yoyo season continues as they bounced back from defeat at Ashton Gate to sneak a win at Kingsholm. Despite the close final score, they were the better team in the second half and deserved the win. Paul Gustard’s men dominated up front and put in a fine performance at the set piece to defeat a frustrating Gloucester. Ackermann is just one season into his revolution but most were expecting a top four finish for the Cherry & Whites. They have South African reinforcements to come and are spread thin in the front row but as with last week, it was the manner of the defeat that was most disappointing, and familiar.
Tigers find little comfort despite win over Sale
It has been a fantastic start to the season, full of tries but Tigers win over Sale was a dull affair and low on the quality we have enjoyed so much this season. A loss here would have given Geordan Murphy little to no chance of claiming the top job at Welford Road on a permanent basis, but Tigers did just enough to secure the win. They were outscored three tries to one by a Sale attack that lacked fluidity, further evidence that their defence is the most pressing issue.
Sale would not have had to offer much more to condemn Tigers to another loss, in fact a semi reliable kicker may have been enough. Will Cliff missed three conversions and a penalty that was looked a cert. George Ford, on the other hand, kicked all his points. His form has provided Tigers with solitary comfort. Both sides are left with work to do, but with AJ MacGinty, Chris Ashton, James O’Connor and Faf De Klerk to come back into the Sale side, Tigers may be left with more problems than their opponents.
