Local Sport

Chiefs power to derby double

31/01/07 - 0 comments

Exeter Chiefs completed a league double over local rivals Plymouth with an impressive 20-13 away victory. The triumph was Exeter's seventh successive win and their first ever at the Brickfields.

The win was masterminded by Exeter coach Peter Drewett whose tactics of forward domination worked a treat in difficult conditions. The combination of Baxter, Walker and Willis in the back row, and Parkes, Nelson and Hobson in the front row - were all outstanding. For those of you not familiar with Rugby positions, here is a quick summary:

Props and Hookers/Front Row

The front row is the cauldron, the establishment of dirty tricks and skulduggery. The front row are noted for their structure and distinguished looks - no necks, cauliflower ears, missing teeth and S-shaped noses (see Brian Moore). Up until the professional era dawned on rugby, the front row were often referred to as the "shorty-fatties", but these days some front rowers are sprinting, 6ft+ monsters!

Locks/Second Row

Lanky, lumbering giants whose presence on the pitch is as much for power as intimidation (see Martin Johnson). The force in the scrum and height in the line-out, these enforcers will happily rake, strike or otherwise damage any opponents unfortunate enough to be caught up in a maul – or more dangerously at the bottom of a ruck.

Flankers + Number 8/Back Row

The back row are the heartbeat of the pack, the number 8 chiefly supports the locks in their seek and destroy approach whilst the flankers find, forage or thief the ball wherever possible. Most flankers relish the forward role and will do anything to win the ball (see Richard Hill) while others within this group break the stereotype of the hardnosed forward and attempt fancy footwork and elaborate ball skills.

The Scrum-half + Fly Half

When the forwards have finished their heroic battles from a breakdown or set-piece, they present the ball to the scrumhalf so the backs can do their 'job'. The scrum-half is closest to the forwards as he provides the link between the marauding pack and slender backs. The scrum-half is accepted by the forwards because they know that he will spin the ball to the rest of the yellow-bellies in the backline who will inevitably knock the ball on and allow them the pleasure of another scrum.

The fly-half is responsible for the vision, imagination, kicking ability, and overall tactical decision making ability for the rest of the backs. The forwards do not understand or trust this individual, but simply rely on him to kick the hard-fought penalties that have been won in rucks.

The Centres

Generally, centres come in two categories - the crash-bang, head-down chargers ala Mike Tindall, or fleet- footed fancy-dans ala Jeremy Guscott. As both are generally found in midfield either tackling or being tackled, they provide a soft landing for the marauding pack to land on.

The Fullback and Wingers

Basically these guys are sprinters who fancied trying something a bit more macho than athletics. The wingers especially can go for large portions of the game without even touching the ball but still come off the pitch at the end with 2 tries to their name. Usually the pretty boys of the game, their appearance is unblemished by the type of punishment the forwards endure, and their kits go back into the kit bag looking like an advert for Daz.

Foot note: In 1978, the Wallabies were about to play the All-Blacks at Eden Park. On the morning of the match, stand-in manager Ross Turnbull spoke to the team, then asked the backs to leave him with the forwards. "Look," he said, waving an airy hand at the just-departed backs, "these Phantom comic swappers and Mintie eaters, these blond-headed flyweights are one thing, and we will need them after the hard work's done. But the real stuff's got to be done right here by you blokes." The Wallabies went on to a famous win, and that story, recounted by one of the forwards in the room Chris Handy, has always been the best exposition of the difference between backs and forwards.