5 Things We Learnt From Exeter’s First Defeat - Ruck

5 Things We Learnt From Exeter’s First Defeat

BY Ruaraidh Britton

1 – Northampton’s scrummaging is painful.

Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood, Jamie Gibson, Teimana Harrison. These are some big names when you think about it, and yet they were having a nightmare against Exeter’s scrum on Friday night. 15 penalties could’ve and should’ve cost the Saints badly, especially when three of them came in the scrum to gift Exeter an early penalty try. Granted, Exeter’s replacement front three of all England and Wales internationals were always going to punish a tired Saints pack, but we saw the same issues time and time again against Worcester Warriors the week prior, and something serious needs to be done, because Saints won’t hang around the play-off places for long with scrummaging like that.

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