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Exeter Chiefs player ratings vs Wasps - Premiership Final
By Ian Cameron
For the newly-crowned European champions, Exeter Chiefs rocked up at Twickenham as strong favourites to add domestic honours after a long, pandemic struck season.
Director of Rugby Rob Baxter made changes to his winning formula of a week ago and it was enough to see his side breakdown a Wasps team on a late-season surge for an unlikely Premiership win.
EXETER CHIEFS PLAYER RATING
15 STUART HOGG
Conditions for a pig but not a Hogg. His first touch in the second minute looked like a knock-on, but he kicked on from there to make a number of incremental contributions for Chiefs - 6.
14 JACK NOWELL
The England ace gave away an early penalty from a misjudged aerial challenge on Umaga. Put a lot of pressure on Wasps and lead Exeter's kick-chase - 6.5
13 HENRY SLADE
Dispelled Chiefs' early nerves with a brilliantly taken try. A massive presence and leader in the midfield - 9
12 OLLIE DEVOTO
Winning a penalty with a carry in the 64th minute may have been his biggest contribution, but in the context of the day it was significant - 7
11 OLLY WOODBURN
Woodburn was given the nod over in form Tom O’Flaherty on the right-wing. Spilled the ball in the lead up to Umaga's try. Not an evening for wingers - 6.
10 JOE SIMMONDS (CAPT)
A nicely waited kick for Woodburn was a promising early touch from in the form 10, who visibly grew into the match. While Umaga fizzled in parts, Simmonds simmered away nicely throughout - 8
9 JACK MAUNDER
Bizarrely changed his boots in the third minute of play. Shone in parts but Robson was the dominant nine today - 7
1 ALEC HEPBURN
Looked sharp with ball in hand, while simultaneously getting the better of All Black Toomaga-Allen at the set-piece - 7
2 LUKE COWAN-DICKIE
His ball security left a bit to be desired, but he was by no means alone in that category - 6
3 HARRY WILLIAMS
Really tested by West. Chiefs benefitted from some really odd calls at the scrum from Craig Maxwell-Keys - 6
4 SAM SKINNER
Picked ahead of Scottish international team-mate Jonny Gray, Skinner had high expectations coming into the game. Turned over the ball a few too many times and he knew it too - 5
5 JONNY HILL
Plenty of work at the coal face, where he was constantly industrious - 6
6 DAVE EWERS
The giant back row carried hard from the off. Bloodied and bruised, this win will have been sweet for the man overlooked by England - 7.5
7 JANNES KIRSTEN
Jannes Kirsten edged fellow Saffa Jacques Vermeulen in the back-row selection battle, and justified Baxter's decision with some beastly and effective carrying - 8
8 SAM SIMMONDS
Largely kept in check by Wasps and the wet track maybe didn't suit the modestly built No.8 - 6.5
16 JACK YEANDLE
Great darts from the veteran and they proved pivotal - 7
17 BEN MOON
A costly knock-on saw the England prop hammer in his fist into the turf in anger. Not the cameo he wanted - 5
18 TOMAS FRANCIS
More or less locked down the set-piece when he arrived. Job done - 6.
19 JONNY GRAY
Plenty of noise and in your face aggression from Gray. His lineout take in the 74th minute was a match-winning contribution - 8
20 JACQUES VERMEULEN
Not on long enough to rate.
21 SAM HIDALGO-CLYNE
Didn't really have much time to truly put a stamp on the game - 6
22 GARETH STEENSON
NA
23 IAN WHITTEN
NA
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Latest Comments
Australia definitely the game of the weekend. Wallabies by 3.
Go to commentsSmith is playing a different game with the rest of the backs struggling to understand. That's the problem with so called playmakers, if nobody gets what they're doing then it often just leads to a turnover. It gets worse when Borthwick changes one of them, which is why they don't score points at the end. Sometimes having a brilliant playmaker can be problematic if a team cannot be built around them. Once again Borthwick seems lacking in either coaching or selection. I can't help but think it's the latter coupled with pressure to select the big name players.
Lastly, his forward replacements are poor and exposed either lack of depth or selection pressure. Cole hemorrhages scrum penalties whenever he comes on, opponents take advantage of the England scrum and close out the game. Is that the best England can offer?
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