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#Post#: 91730--------------------------------------------------
Areas for improvement
DIR By: J Scott
Date: June 13, 2022, 7:05 am
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Having watched the semi final and post match interviews and I’m
glad we’re going to stick to our DNA however I have a few areas
I think the coaching team should be looking to add to it:
1. If we’re going to spurn 3 points then let’s add some variety
and use tap and goes there are no end to the options it doesn’t
just have to be point man taps and trundles. This will keep
defences guessing and stop the predictable catch set drive from
a lineout.
2. Stop the Marler flop, I see it’s benefits in our 22 to gain
better kicking angles, however would rather a runner/pod hitting
angles at pace to win the collision.
3. Linked to one we need to vary the one up runner, tip on and
pod more in tight games we get fixated on one type usually one
up runners.
4. Defence I think we’ve missed a trick not recruiting a defence
specialist like Omar who will work wonders at Exeter.
We will always need to keep improving the fundamentals and these
are just some initial thoughts now the dust has settled on our
loss.
I’ve not lost sight of what a great season we’ve enjoyed, it
will be another long summer waiting for the the pre season to
start.
#Post#: 91732--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: poorfour
Date: June 13, 2022, 7:14 am
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All fair comments.
For me, though, the key area for improvement is somewhere else:
Quins need to be better at winning the breakdown against teams
that aim to smother the ball rather than genuinely compete, and
to have a plan B for when we can't get quick ball and the
opposition are [eusphemism] quick off the line [/euphemism]
defensively.
The Quins defence is high risk, high reward. It's always going
to let some stuff through, but we offset that by having a lot of
good turnover specialists and by being able to capitalise on
those turnovers when they happen.
However, the matches we've lost badly this year have tended to
be the ones where teams are up and in our faces and we can't
create the space to play. I'm not sure what the answer to that
is. We can't just rely on Andre to hammer it up, so it might
mean having a more varied kicking game, or playing more often
with a second playmaker so that we can run phases and create a
bit of space for Marcus to do his thing.
#Post#: 91785--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: Quinston Churchill
Date: June 13, 2022, 5:21 pm
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I agree for the most part, but picking out Omar Mouneimne as a
missed opportunity is a slightly weird one. The Bristol defence
hasn’t been notably good under his tenure and he’s leaving
Bristol under a cloud after a reported clash with Lam. You could
be right, but based upon actual evidence, I’m not seeing it that
way ATM.
#Post#: 91786--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: June 13, 2022, 5:35 pm
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Especially as Baxter was talking about a need for fresh voices
at Exeter as things had become a bit stale. Gustard was our
defence coach and he only left 18 months ago - since then we've
won the league and then backed it up with a more consistent
season with a better defensive record.
#Post#: 91789--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: J Scott
Date: June 14, 2022, 1:22 am
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Fair however neither winning the league or finishing 3rd were
based on good defence. We still leak so many soft tries, I’d
agree it has improved but it is the major area we can improve so
a defence specialist wouldn’t be a bad acquisition.
Omar was meant as an example, maybe not him but someone refund
for defence. Also what about if he’s not the issue and it’s Lam
that is? I wouldn’t judge him on a Twitter spat.
Regarding Baxter I think making changes when it’s stale is too
late and poor leadership you need to identify issues and makes
changes to keep things fresh. .
#Post#: 91794--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: June 14, 2022, 4:54 am
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Exeter ditched their defence coach less than a year after being
premiership and European champions!
#Post#: 91800--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: J Scott
Date: June 14, 2022, 6:47 am
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Sorry don’t get your point (probably not reading it the way you
intend) but isn’t that the point. They won both those with a
defence coach in place, it started to go wrong and he left mid
season they’ve now employed a new one.
We won the prem without a specific defence coach, came 3rd with
that role being covered by other coaches. So I don’t see how
employingsomeone with the sole job of defence makes us any
weaker?
Anyway I’d be interested to hear where your areas for improv,et
would be for next season.
#Post#: 91804--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: June 14, 2022, 8:38 am
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Interesting that you raise the kicking game Poorfour. One of my
biggest gripes from this season is DC and his pointless grubbers
when we are in a good position. 1 in about 5 or 6 actually works
but he wasn't doing that at the weekend when I felt he probably
should have especially when we were camped in their 22.
No doubt the 'we'll score more than you' gameplan has a shelf
life and and as we add a better defence strategy to that we
start to become a frightening prospect. I'm going to try and
watch a bit more of the young up and coming scrum halves next
season and see how they compare when in the red zone.
I think another point made above and backed up on the Rugby Pod
today was that Saracens are in our head and they know that. I
think that we have only beaten them maybe 4 times in the league
since wining the title in 2012 and that would suggest that we do
have a psychological block with them.
Anyone who kindly reads my posts would know that I have no love
for Warren Gatland but one of the first things he said to the
welsh squad was that until they get over the mindset that
beating England was the pinnacle, they'll never have success. I
think we've got the same with them!
#Post#: 91805--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: T-Bone
Date: June 14, 2022, 8:49 am
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Completely agree regarding Care and his grubbers. He quite often
does it when we don't have pen advantage, so just gives it away.
More often he'll do it on the first phase after pen advantage is
being played, rather than try to put it through the hands for a
bit before going for the low percentage grubber.
On Saturday, we were crying out for him to do it, and he didn't.
Odd
#Post#: 91808--------------------------------------------------
Re: Areas for improvement
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: June 14, 2022, 11:05 am
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--- Quote from: J Scott link ---
>
> Sorry don’t get your point (probably not reading it the way
you intend) but isn’t that the point. They won both those with a
defence coach in place, it started to go wrong and he left mid
season they’ve now employed a new one.
>
> We won the prem without a specific defence coach, came 3rd
with that role being covered by other coaches. So I don’t see
how employingsomeone with the sole job of defence makes us any
weaker?
>
> Anyway I’d be interested to hear where your areas for
improv,et would be for next season.
>
--- End Quote ---
You said "Regarding Baxter I think making changes when it’s
stale is too late and poor leadership you need to identify
issues and makes changes to keep things fresh". Baxter made
changes claiming things had gone stale. You reckon that was too
late and poor leadership. He'd have had to have been a
clairvoyant to know that, given his team were the best team in
Europe less than a season earlier...
Personally I think our defence has tightened up nicely this
season. There's been a good improvement in specific areas (maul
defence, midfield defence). Our main problem this season - for
me - has been us spurning too many chances, both in terms of
decision making and execution. That's largely a combination of
skills and psychology, but I'm sure it can't have been helped by
all the disruption to the team. Which is only going to get worse
next season.
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