Exeter Chiefs
Can Rob cook a perfect BBQ?
Chiefs
By Tommy Hawkeye
July 13 2012
Tommy Hawkeye looks forward to season 2012/13
Can Rob cook a perfect BBQ?
I remember when I had my first BBQ. I had seen people BBQ before and I had joined in the fun but I had never actually prepared and lit a BBQ.
So my first attempt was not the best and the food was undercooked and smelt of lighter fuel but there were a few sausages left towards the end and I put them on and they tasted good. The next time I lit the BBQ I managed to get past the taste of lighter fuel but still managed to undercook the chicken and over cook the burgers but overall it was better.
Eventually I managed to light the BBQ efficiently and be patient letting the charcoal go from red to grey and then cooked the chicken gently so that it was cooked through and not burnt. What I also eventually did was prepared kebabs and ribs and everybody enjoyed the BBQ, well more or less as the odd kebab had some burnt veg and perfect meat or sometimes the other way round.
I put all this down to experience and you only gain experience through actually doing the job, so much so I now have a pizza oven.
I think Rob Baxter and his side are now ready to add the kebabs and ribs to their BBQ. Rob appears to have made some good signings during the close season and some we may not be sure about but will probably live to eat our words once more.
We find ourselves battling on three fronts this season including the massive step up of Heineken Cup rugby which will prove a little like ribs and kebabs because I’m confident we will get parts of it right but at some stage we might just find the ribs appear burnt but the meat is undercooked.
I can’t wait for the challenge to begin. The LV Cup will, I assume, allow some players the chance to show their worth and give others a well-earned rest and where we finish in this competition will depend on where other clubs set their sights and the teams they select. You never know it might just produce silverware.
In the Premiership we are now considered to be an established side with a chance of competing in the playoffs and if you reach that point anything can happen. I’ll still be happy with eleventh place but obviously hope and expect more. There have been so many changes of personnel around the league, both on and off the pitch, that it is hard to see where the strength will lie. At this stage everybody is talking a good game and you wouldn’t expect anything less.
You have to assume that the four teams that finished above us last season will be in the mix but Sarries and Quins will have their squad depth tested as they both now provide quite a number of players to the England squad. Tigers and Saints have proved consistently that they can dig deep when faced with these demands but it does just give a glimmer of hope for a team outside the big four to create a surprise.
Which team might provide that surprise if not the Chiefs? Well Sale finished just below us and will have to up the pace to make up the difference but will the signing of Cipriani undo the efforts from new coach Redpath and how will they cope playing in a new stadium which if their attendances are similar to last season will appear very empty and without atmosphere.
Gloucester, Bath and Irish all have new coaches and each a few new players but can they step up a gear quickly enough to make a difference. They will all be competitive and any of them can win games. Gloucester should be fitter now they have the services of Paddy Anson and Gold will bring a better balance to Bath’s style of play but Irish under their new regime appear as though they may just continue to drift.
Of the remaining three clubs you have to suspect that Oxford Welsh will find it the hardest and with the marquee signing of glamour boy Henson you have to worry for them. Worcester will improve because Richard Hill is both a good coach and a beast but he is just as level headed as Baxter which means he will get results and improve. As for Wasps, well they really do have an uphill battle and morale within the club must be low before the season even starts.
So Rob has a policy of quietly improving so hopefully that may make us the surprise package to break up the top four.
Which brings me round to the kebabs and ribs called the Heineken Cup. What an adventure and what a pool to find ourselves in. You might say we can beat any of the three at home and have half a chance away to Scarlets but Leinster and Clermont away; now the fairy tale does begin. Clermont could be just arrogant enough to field a weakened side, though you have to review the meaning of weak, and we could just spring the surprise of the season. Leinster on the other hand are looking to make even more history but history does show they have one poor game in the HK each season so let’s hope it’s the one against us.
Not far to go timewise for our addiction for rugby to be satisfied once again. Ambitions for the season? Do OK in the LV and maybe even win it. Finish eleventh in the league but preferably third or fourth. As for the HK; well who knows. I’d be over the moon if we could win three out of the six and if we were to qualify for the quarter finals it would mean Rob can cook the perfect BBQ with a pizza oven on the horizon.
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Discussion started by thechiefstribe.com (IP Logged), 13/07/2012 18:21
13/07/2012 18:21
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apologies for taking down any replies but this just had to go on the front page. Great article Tommy Hawkeye 
Well I do like ribs but the Irish ones in particular may prove a bit tough to cook. Still, I think the other two sides in our group are beatable but we can't take anything for granted at this level.
Doubt we'll make the HK knockout stages but the parachute into the Amlin is definately doable. Hoping we don't go backwards in the Prem. LV, hell knows.
Doubt we'll make the HK knockout stages but the parachute into the Amlin is definately doable. Hoping we don't go backwards in the Prem. LV, hell knows.
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