Exeter excelling while international exertions take toll on heavyweights

Jack Nowell aside, the Chiefs have stuck together for the vast majority of the season and with a draining season nearing a end before the prolonged pre-World Cups begin, they are on target for a top-four finish

• Talking points from the weekend’s Premiership action

Standing as a paying spectator on the East Terrace at Sandy Park on Sunday, clutching a huge pork bap and a pint of Otter, several things sprang to mind. One is that watching rugby live still delivers benefits even free-to-air television cannot match: the cheerful pre-match anticipation, the roars of uncanned emotion, the communion of shared experience. Skilful TV directors can show you all sorts but they cannot entirely replicate how it feels.

Every media type should also keep in mind that those who drive hundreds of miles every season to support their team each week are not easily fooled. Down in our corner of the stadium there were absolutely no complaints from Northampton supporters after their side’s 21-10 loss to Exeter Chiefs, hard on the heels of their savage European exit in Clermont Auvergne. They did not need a Gogglebox pundit to tell them their team looked flat and fretful, lacking the aura of menace they exude on their better days.

Continue reading...





from Sport | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1crAU7E

Browse More Articles

Tweet

Written by Unknown

We are Creative Blogger Theme Wavers which provides user friendly, effective and easy to use themes. Each support has free and providing HD support screen casting.