Sam Simmonds: Rob Baxter hails ‘bang on form’ Exeter number eight

Planet Rugby

Exeter Chiefs number eight Sam Simmonds deserves his chance in the upcoming Six Nations, according to his club boss Rob Baxter.

Simmonds was Exeter’s star yet again at the weekend, despite the Chiefs succumbing 37-26 to Montpellier in the Champions Cup on Sunday.

The back-row scored a hat-trick, taking his tally to a remarkable 75 tries in 100 games, and will hope he’s done enough to earn a role in the Red Rose squad.

Interestingly, his main rival for the England shirt, Alex Dombrandt, also touched down three times in Harlequins’ dramatic victory over Castres as competition hots up ahead of the annual international tournament.

Game plan built around Simmonds

Baxter revealed the Exeter game plan had been built around trying to get Simmonds over the line as often as possible.

“We spoke during the week about creating a game that would get Simmo over the try-line a few times. We were joking about him getting four or five and when he had three in 50 minutes we started thinking it might happen,” said Baxter.

“Unfortunately that wasn’t to be. It was still a great occasion for him, just slightly spoiled by the end result.

“He is bang on form and playing very, very well. I hope he gets some recognition with England now, although it is going to be a difficult decision for Eddie Jones to make between him and Alex.

“But that’s what you want as a coach, players knocking each other over with man-of-the-match performances trying to prove a point. I don’t think Eddie will be too disappointed about that.”

Simmonds’ hat-trick took his try tally in this season’s tournament to seven and his Exeter total to 75 in 100 games.

“First of all I’m very proud to have played 100 games for the Chiefs. Five or six years ago I’d never have said I’d play five or 10 games, so it’s a massively proud moment for me,” the number eight said.

“But ultimately it was a disappointing performance and result. We knew with the side that Montpellier put out that they would come at us early and we probably started the better by scoring early.

“We just couldn’t handle, for whatever reason, what they hit us with early on. They’re a good side, but it’s mostly down to the way we defended, they just got too much momentum.

“That’s the group stages done and we’re into the last-16 now. We’ll park that for a little bit because we’ve got to get back to the Premiership.”

The Chiefs will face Munster home and away in the round of 16, while Montpellier’s reward for reaching the top eight in Pool A is a head-to-head clash with English champions Harlequins.

Simmonds added: “It doesn’t get much bigger than home and away games against a team like Munster. We played them a couple of years ago and probably didn’t put in our best performance.”

Pat Lam feels a more ‘ruthless’ Bristol could be contenders

Bristol Bears coach Pat Lam thinks his team would be Champions Cup contenders if they were more ruthless and clinical in their performances.

A convincing 52-21 bonus-point triumph over the Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday rounded off Bristol’s pool matches.

“We can be serious contenders (in Europe) if we are more ruthless,” Lam said.

“We showed 20 minutes of being ruthless today. Everyone wants to do the off-loads and run with the ball, but it’s that work off the ball that is really appreciated.”

 

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Sam Simmonds deserves to start for England in Six Nations

Sam Simmonds deserves to play for England at number eight, according to Exeter boss Rob Baxter, but will the Chiefs man be given his opportunity.