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Faithful City
Administrator
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Posted: Monday Aug 25th, 2008 09:11 |
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Exeter Chiefs completed their pre-season preparations with an encouraging display at Launceston.
Head coach Pete Drewett got to see 33 of his players in action as they went another 80 minutes without conceding a try and ran in seven of their own.
For the record, the Chiefs won 48-15. But as they played with a different side in each half it could be argued the first half team won 28-6 and the second half 20-9.
But the match was not about the score, it was about getting a good workout a week before the National League 1 campaign starts at Esher.
Many of the clubs are now fully professional and at least 75%. Which means that every single Div1 club can put out a fully professional 1st 22.
It is wide open for 1 of 6 clubs (my predicted order)
- Exeter
- Doncaster
- Leeds
- Nottingham
- Plymouth
- Penzance
However who really knows what Bedford, Rotherham or even Coventry, might do?
JP
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Faithful City
Administrator
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Posted: Monday Aug 25th, 2008 09:15 |
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Plymouth are definately up for this season.
Even if they cannot enter the GP, if they winn the league they get £1million.
PLYMOUTH Albion's chairman of rugby Graham Dawe believes his side should take encouragement from Saturday's 13-10 win over Welsh Premiership champions Neath.
The pre-season friendly, which came just a week before Albion kick-off their 2008/09 National Division One season, was a hard-fought affair.
But the hosts produced an encouraging performance – including outscoring Neath two tries to one – to claim a morale-boosting win over a Welsh All Blacks team who beat Premiership outfit Saracens 43-18 earlier this month.
"It was a great workout and fair play to Neath, they brought a lot to the game," said Dawe.
"They brought lots of endeavour, spirit, skill, speed and passing.
"But we showed a lot of endeavour to not only get the two tries, but to also hold our try-line intact, all bar being broken once.
"We held firm at the end although the boys' will be asking themselves some questions because it was wave after wave (of Neath attacks) the last 20 minutes.
"But it was the sort of test you want really and, hopefully, it will give the players some encouragement for the future.
"It was a good game of rugby."
Albion gave five players – full-back Tom Jarvis, scrum-half Greg Nicholls, prop James Tideswell, lock Arthur Brenton and winger Justin Mensah-Coker – their debuts.
Nicholls had a big part to play in their first try, Mensah-Coker helped set-up Jarvis for the second and both skipper Brenton and Tideswell contributed to the victory.
Dawe admitted he was pleased with the quintet's contribution.
"Five players made their debuts – two in the forwards – and they are integral parts of the team," said Dawe.
"They all played their part – Tom scored a try, while Justin is a pretty smooth operator at this level as you would expect."
The one dampener for Albion from Saturday's match was injuries to back-row forwards Kyle Marriott and Jake Childs.
Both have looked impressive in the early stages of Saturday's encounter.
An ankle injury led to Marriott leaving the pitch on 23 minutes, although he could be fit for Saturday's league opener at home to Coventry.
However, a more serious looking shoulder injury for Jake Childs in the first minute of added-on time in the first half means he is likely to be unavailable.
"To lose two players is tough, especially both back-row players," said Dawe.
"Jake will not feature against Coventry on Saturday.
"But, hopefully, Kyle's injury is not as serious as Jake's."
JP
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midleton lad
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Posted: Friday Sep 5th, 2008 21:40 |
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Wit all due respect to the tykes, it would be nice to see some one new in the Premiership.
Have always had a little soft spot for Plymouth, remember a Div 1 game against them when they scored about three tries in five minutes. i was sat by a Plymouth fan and his expression of surprise was priceless.
We still won mind.
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vigorniensis
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Posted: Tuesday Sep 9th, 2008 03:45 |
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| I think Robinson, now of Bristol, was one we tried to get from Plymouth following that match, but he felt we were going to go straight back down.
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manrow
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Posted: Friday Oct 3rd, 2008 21:45 |
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Darn sight more exciting than the Premiership!
More raw grunt and less playing on the edge of the ref!
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