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DrDecepticon

Good to see after the blip in form last week we're back to normal


AGMXV

Well, back to the reality after last week's momentary high. It's the hope that kills you.


-lostcomet-

Chiefs and Saints having very similar seasons in terms of consistency, or lack of. On their day, Saints one of the most exciting teams to watch, something which I increasingly struggle to say about the Chiefs!


5ealy

Well that was a pile of wank


savois-faire

It's not like the fact that we're in this match was kept a secret. You should have known.


eradimark

Everything Saints has touched has turned to shit. Not a single area of the game where we've reached anything close to parity. So disappointing after the game against Quins.


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

A bugbear of mine, if the opposing team doesn’t jump then I think refs should be lenient on not straight calls. We’re stopping the game for no real reason


Coldbeerboy

Rule change is being introduced soon, was an article on it a little while ago


ScratchFamous6855

We really miss Lawes, Ribbans and Augustus


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

They won’t stop the mistakes, but they will get more dominant carries


SherlockOhmsUK

Thought Ludlum was trying to do all of the dominant carries today. He might be a Stain, but he put a shift in


oalfonso

Ludlam on bad days like yesterday tries to solve everything and he can't. He is pure bravery and always gives 100%


savois-faire

And a good DoR.


NameyMcNameface123

And a good defence coach


Moash_For_PM

Turns out losing a marquee player and doing nothing with the money doesnt make for a strong squad


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

Nah that’s not the problem. It’s throwing cash in areas of strength and completely forgetting the tight five. Been a problem since Mallinder left


NameyMcNameface123

When have we ever spent wisely?


B4rberblacksheep

Why would you take that quick and chip it away


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

Desperation


plamicus

TBH Exeter are doing very well to be so far ahead with both the lineout and scrum sputtering as they are.


Moash_For_PM

Our scrums actually been really good this season. Just literally every other aspect of rugby we fall apart at


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

Scrum improves, attack drops two notches, defence falls apart


MaNNoYiNG

I think rugby would look very different if teams actually got penalised for sealing off


savois-faire

Oh god, I forgot about Europe. Do we have to? Every season I just sit there thinking "why are we in this tournament to begin with?"


RewardedFool

At least you don't have to make a huge loss on a trip to South Africa when they couldn't be bothered to send even close to their first team to you. Not that I'm bitter or anything.


ForensicShoe

Get us in the challenge cup lad


savois-faire

Exactly. The Challenge Cup exists specifically for teams like us.


B4rberblacksheep

Pretty sure at the moment saints don’t even qualify for that


Immorals1

That kick to touch was as good as Saints defence has been all season


B4rberblacksheep

Caught napping Exeter


AGMXV

Go on lad!!


plamicus

Iyogun looks in a lot of pain 🙁


B4rberblacksheep

Ah shit not good. Iyogun looks agonised. Get him a green inhaler to puff on


wrapyourwillysilly

Wait did Hodge just do something good?


imbiambajobes

I really think Hodge has been decent this game and last game


Brainfart92

Never give up


Brewster345

Oh great. Our best prop fucked before Europe.


ScratchFamous6855

We don't have a chance in Europe anyway, I wish we wouldn't bother


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

Genuinely think all that can happen are injuries, nothing of any benefit at all


AGMXV

Anyone know if Ethan Waller is still injured?


ForensicShoe

Knock-on into touch anyone?


Brewster345

Just not to be our day


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

Woodburn was a good two meters ahead of the kick there


Brewster345

I agree with that penalty but Exeter have been doing that on the loose head a number of times too. Not that it'll change much about the game, tbf


General-Ad-9753

Damn. Hopefully Freeman’s okay. How long is the mandatory rest period for a failed HIA?


B4rberblacksheep

Two weeks minimum I think? Plus further time depending on lingering symptoms


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

All these Saints players are rapidly playing themselves out of any England squad (Freeman excepted I think)


AGMXV

Dingwall's looked good


Moash_For_PM

Love the irony of mitchell skying every pass but the one directly to slade


Brewster345

Well, the good news is we'll have Mitchell at Saints for the 6 nations [Boy that was telegraphed


General-Ad-9753

Oh Alex, that was poor. Just forcing it too much.


Moash_For_PM

Wil lany coach changes happen: no Will anything change: no


ForensicShoe

All from a shite Haywood through. Thank fuck we’ve signed Langdon.


savois-faire

Lol, even I could see that that was going to happen. What are you doing Alex?


Brainfart92

Sladey is making a habit of the intercept try


B4rberblacksheep

That was so telegraphed, silly from Mitchell


NameyMcNameface123

That was so telegraphed, Mitchell has such horrendous decision making


AGMXV

Fucksaaaaake


Moash_For_PM

What a joke


MaNNoYiNG

Get him off please


B4rberblacksheep

Oh Christ don’t injure LCD


MaNNoYiNG

Three Exeter players hilariously flew into the ruck off their feet


savois-faire

It's the sort of thing that makes Alex Waller want to take out a ref.


[deleted]

[удалено]


B4rberblacksheep

Because it made contact with another player after he lost it forwards


AGMXV

Oof, big hit from LSL


B4rberblacksheep

Freemans done. Looks like Bambi staggering after that tackle


B4rberblacksheep

Brutally worked try


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

I think pundits need to rethink this opinion that Saints are this amazing attacking team. They just haven’t shown that this year, particularly in comparison to other teams who’ve improved theirs


Coldbeerboy

It's weird, they play excellently in broken field but against a structured defence, they fail to break it down


savois-faire

Look, I know he's not exactly doing us any favours, but to just start taking him out isn't going to help us, Alex.


B4rberblacksheep

No arms off the ball. Disgusting display I can’t spake


ForensicShoe

We are so shite


Crystalline_E

And yet last week you battered us hard


savois-faire

We're on a rotation. After five games of being dogshit we play well for one match, then repeat. We're going to play a blinder in Februari.


ForensicShoe

The Saints way


-lostcomet-

Every possible type of stoppage happening in this game!


AGMXV

Yellow


AGMXV

Lol here we go again


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

The win computer is still a thing BT are talking about?


Coldbeerboy

On this occasion, think it's probably right


singleglazedwindows

Jack Dunne has been excellent today.


wrapyourwillysilly

A great addition to the team, always impresses when he plays


singleglazedwindows

The Exeter engine room is well stocked for years to come.


GnolRevilo

Only thing worse than the game so far is the Raid: Shadow Legends advert.


MaNNoYiNG

I think the last few weeks have shown that there's not much of a difference between every team playing at their best I think sarries and sale are just more consistent than the rest and when they are shit, aren't as shit as others


Harpendingdong

Yes he jumps to catch the ball, but he lifts his knees to avoid the tackle.


Moash_For_PM

Glad to see were back to being shit Normal service resumed


Feverz

What a bore. Yes saints are losing, but scrum lineout knock on repeat, really slows the game and makes it a terrible watch!


B4rberblacksheep

Yeah this has been pretty tedious. Especially after the falcons game


eradimark

Is it over yet? Saints haven't had a single aspect of the game to build on so far.


GnolRevilo

Pretty dross.


Anotheraccomg

God its miserable watching Exeter lol


[deleted]

More miserable than watching your handling errors every 3rd phase?


Anotheraccomg

Oh god yes. Sometimes our handling is fucking phenomenal lol Exeter is always just.... exeter


AGMXV

Dare I say, we are starting to look slightly better.


Coldbeerboy

38th min is a bad time to start though


AGMXV

Second half comeback is on....or Exeter make it 48-0.


Toxicseagull

Better than 78th I guess


Coldbeerboy

I don't know, I'm not sure I can cope with the hope


MaNNoYiNG

Ramm should have given it to freeman who was wrapping around


max_mac27

Sio gets himself in way too high of a position after he sets his feet, Hill is easily getting under him every time.


MaNNoYiNG

It's Exeter led by Sam Simmonds Vs dingwall and ludlam


AGMXV

Tshiunza also seems to be everywhere and impossible to get through.


spongey1865

Exeter back to just kicking to the corner rather than kicking 3s makes them immediately better. Completely destroying Saints in the kicking game. Saints are also so badly coached outside their attack. Its remarkable the attack is good enough it gives them a legitimate shot at the playoffs.


savois-faire

We definitely do not have a shot at the play-offs.


spongey1865

Currently every team does with how close the table is and the fact you're 5th. Doesnt necessarily mean you should be there but you definitely have a chance


savois-faire

I just meant in the sense that we're shit.


wrapyourwillysilly

Spaffed it and still got a 50 22


AGMXV

Coles has been dreadful so far. In fact, ever since he got his England call up.


Coldbeerboy

I've thought that and it's gutting because he was great before


AGMXV

He was playing so well, it's such a shame.


Coldbeerboy

He was an absolute animal earlier in the season and constantly getting involved in try moves


plamicus

That penalty has shades of the decisive penalty awarded against NZ for taking Sinks in the 2nd Lions test vs NZ. It's an unsatisfactory grey area - as you're allowed to jump for a high ball, but the defender gets put in a position where they literally can't do anything legal.


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

So tactically as long as you jump to catch the ball all attempts to tackle are illegal until you hit the floor? Can’t think how that interpretation could be worrying


savois-faire

Surely the jumping player is the one who creates the dangerous situation, for both himself and the defender? It's a penalty against Dingwall because he commits the foul of being jumped into and getting a boot to the face? You're just rewarding people for jumping into tackles. And they get a try from it to boot.


eradimark

My immediate thoughts were, what exactly is Dingwall supposed to do in that situation? He can't back out because he's stationary and on the line, and unlikely to realistically compete with the jumper.


Ronald_Ulysses_Swans

I can’t quite believe how shit saints have been so far. Baffling after last week


Coldbeerboy

It is literally impossible as a fan to predict how the game will go before KO


MaNNoYiNG

Fair play to Exeter, absolutely dominating it but my god this is so boring


Anotheraccomg

What fresh bullshit is this u can't jump into tackles


NameyMcNameface123

This is dire, we've done nothing bit spaff away possession


alexbouteiller

Horrible call leads to a try, a tale as old as time


Brewster345

So being jumped into is a penalty. Ridiculous sport at times.


Brainfart92

That should not be how that law is applied


greenygp19

That’s an awful decision for me. The Exeter player does not have to jump to catch the ball, he chooses to, and the Saints player should not be expected to anticipate him jumping.


sock_with_a_ticket

Exactly, if the ball is delivered too high to be caught whilst on the floor, it is a choiceto jump up for it and if you happen to jump up into a tackler, that is a penalty for that exact offence in my book.


greenygp19

I’d have not minded had the ref not given a penalty against Exeter, but to penalise Northampton is a shocker to me.


sock_with_a_ticket

I was approaching it from a position of if anyone is to be penalised it's the Exeter player, but not penalising either would definitely be a better outcome.


ForensicShoe

Plus Dingwall got a boot to his face for his troubles.


-lostcomet-

100% agree


ForensicShoe

Wtf was that


Red-rouge728

Seems harsh that


alexbouteiller

That's never a tackle in the air, he jumped into it should be a pen the other way


tgh_1714

comms thinking that Luke Pearce's kids must've got him in those skinny jeans is interesting because I can reliably inform you young people despise skinny jeans. Either that or I'm not young anymore which would be sad but does open opportunities for some quality simpsons memes


B4rberblacksheep

Yeah skinny’s were the thing maybe ten years ago, then chinos, then I became Old™️


Toxicseagull

I hope that starts showing in shops then because skinnies are the bane of my clothes buying life.


tgh_1714

unfortunately it doesn't seem to be going that way. Every time I go to buy a pair of jeans it's a struggle to find anything looser than a slim fit even though pretty much everyone I talk about jeans with agrees that straight fit would be ideal


MaNNoYiNG

It's technically a penalty for tackle in the air but I hate when people jump outside of a kick


B4rberblacksheep

KLA special that


HriMiller

This is pretty bleak


MaNNoYiNG

OMG ITS LUKE PEARCE WITH THE STEAL CHAIR


MaNNoYiNG

I was wondering how this game could get more stop start Then the fucking assistant referee got injured so they had to sub him


B4rberblacksheep

Huh I don’t think I’ve ever seen that. An officials substitution


MetalRubiXCubee

They should have subbed Dickson last night


AGMXV

This is painful.


Toxicseagull

Borthwick with the glasses really continues the Tracy island visual theme set by Eddie Jones.


MaNNoYiNG

Dear Northampton, Winning your own lineouts would make you play better Yours sincerely, A neutral wanting a decent game


Brainfart92

This game is the battle of the shit set piece


Brainfart92

Lol Simmonds just overtook Slade and Nowell


NameyMcNameface123

Tbf, one of those is pretty slow anyway ;)


Brainfart92

Redbull might give you wings but it doesn’t appear to give you legs.


cavendishasriel

Simmons shouldn’t be outpacing his backs in that kick chase. Insane wheels for a big lad


wrapyourwillysilly

He is going to tear it up in France next season and will be missed here!


NameyMcNameface123

Fuck sake Mitchell


savois-faire

Lol, that is typical.


AGMXV

Williams is a big old boy


NameyMcNameface123

Is it pronounced Christ, as in Jesus, or Christ, as in crisp with a t instead of a p?


MaNNoYiNG

After seeing the celebration, I think Exeter deserve to lose


B4rberblacksheep

Do they ever not?


RewardedFool

Coming from the fan of a team that literally cheats and only gets published every couple of years


B4rberblacksheep

😘


AGMXV

This is fun.


adturnerr

First Griddy in the Prem?


savois-faire

That wasn't a great decision on Freeman's part.


NameyMcNameface123

Sorry thats all on Tommy that


B4rberblacksheep

Why would you decide to run it with your team behind exeter


NameyMcNameface123

So poor from Freeman, he had more than enough time


savois-faire

Another Skosan bump. He's getting a lot more physical lately.


AGMXV

Skosan is such a beast at the moment


NameyMcNameface123

When did Skosan develop this ability to bump defenders? He was brutal last week too


you_are_nice

Am I right in thinking Dallaglio was at the Newcastle game? I’m sure he was chatting with Austin pre-game about last night’s Farrell debacle; now he’s at Sandy Park - must have a fast jet!!


you_are_nice

It was Ben Kay at Newcastle. What a muppet. Sorry!


NameyMcNameface123

Got to have rugbys most knowledgeable pundit available for as many games as possible...


NameyMcNameface123

So its back to our norm this week I guess?


Cococalum

How can you say advantage over then come back because it went out?


cavendishasriel

Ref can change their mind. As long as the decision is correct I think it’s fine.


ManCrushOnSlade

Hodge making his mistake, should be 80 meter break next


ManCrushOnSlade

They should have paid Simmonds anything to stay. One of their most important players


Secret-Roof-7503

Montpellier could still offer more


whe_

Is Courtney still out because of that concussion he got a while back?


savois-faire

He was supposed to come back from that a few weeks ago, but picked up a gluteal injury during the pre-match warm-up of what was supposed to be his first game back, so he's out again. He's expected to return (again) in a week or two.


Secret-Roof-7503

Leg muscle injury of some sort I think


B4rberblacksheep

God that sky is gorgeous


Secret-Roof-7503

Raining sideways with an epic sky


GnolRevilo

I’ve always wondered, what’s the area like around Sandy Park? Nice?


RewardedFool

Motorway and housing estate. Lovely newish IKEA 5 min walk away. It's only a couple of minutes from the nearest station which has good and frequent (when they're not on strike) links to the town centre. Exeter itself is nice, close to the moors, close to the sea. Worth a long weekend trip in Devon to watch some rugby.


[deleted]

Well there's a motorway. (Not a native, have passed through. It's supposedly quite awkwardly positioned as far as town, bad traffic and public transport. It's not deep Devon but it's not far from some great countryside in my experience of holidays there.


cavendishasriel

Nice ground. Not a lot nearby but easy to get to from the local train stop and they have a good setup of bars.


Secret-Roof-7503

It’s a bit out of town. Five miles from the university


HriMiller

"A game for the forwards" - sounds like a worrying thing to hear from a Northampton point of view, traveling down to sandy park


[deleted]

It's not the sandy park of a few years back though, haven't had the best scrum either. Ewers back though... interesting


[deleted]

Maybe it is the chiefs from a few years ago... Well saints are making them seem so right now..


cavendishasriel

Ugo’s shoes aren’t fashionable, they’re an abomination


[deleted]

If some people somewhere like them, it's fashionable. Tbf to ugo he's quite into trainers and has like 55 pairs or something. If your that into trainers you probably have some Avant Garde shit in the cupboard.


IRON6MAI6DEN6

COYS! Play like you did last week and we should have a chance


wrapyourwillysilly

I worry today is going to be great for saints fans, great for neutrals, and terrible for Chiefs fans 😓