THE COUNTRY BUMPKINS UPSET THE APPLE CART
The Devonians may have played against the 1905 Originals in the match which produced the Kiwis’ ‘All Blacks’ moniker, but from their foundation in 1871 until lead sponsor Tony Rowe took over the then Fourth Division club in 1996, Exeter were a largely second tier club. But under the former Royal Marine and powerboat racing champion, this little West Country club built a shiny new ground, rebranded themselves as ‘The Chiefs’ and gradually rose from the third tier of the leagues. In 2010 under new director of rugby, local boy and former player Rob Baxter, Exeter Chiefs finally gained promotion to the top flight and for the second half of the past decade have vied for domestic domination alongside now disgraced Saracens. Rowe and Baxter have proved two things: that it is possible to break into the elite from the outside, and that it is possible to do so by developing almost exclusively local talent. Together the two West Countrymen have completely reshaped the landscape of England’s Premiership.
MONEY TALKS
This story is from the Issue 205, June - July 2020 edition of NZ Rugby World.
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This story is from the Issue 205, June - July 2020 edition of NZ Rugby World.
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RUGBY ROYALTY
FRANS STEYN’S IMPACT AT LAST YEAR’S WORLD CUP ADDED MORE PRESTIGE TO A DECORATED CAREER THAT ISN’T OVER YET. CRAIG LEWIS FROM SA RUGBY MAGAZINE REPORTS.
WINGING IT FOR LONGER
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WOW FACTOR
SCOTT ROBERTSON IS UNORTHODOX BUT HE'S ALSO BRILLIANT AND WANTS A JOB WITH THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS.
RUGBY REBORN
COVID BROUGHT ECONOMIC CARNAGE IN 2020 BUT RATHER THAN BEING SEEN AS A WRECKER OF FORTUNES, THE PANDEMIC WAS ACTUALLY A GIANT BLESSING.
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THE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS OF 2020 SAW THE INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR HASTILY REDRAWN AND IN A UNIQUE TWIST FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AGE, THE ALL BLACKS PLAYED FOUR CONSECUTIVE TESTS AGAINST AUSTRALIA.
PACIFIC POWER HOUSE
FIJI HAVE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO FULFIL THEIR ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. BUT THEY MIGHT NOW FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF VERN COTTER AS HEAD COACH.
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ON AND OFF THE FIELD, SPRINGBOKS WING CHESLIN KOLBE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL IMPACT.
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