Chief Sam plays it again and again
By Mark Stevens
20/3/21
He’s not been short of people championing his cause this season, but Exeter’s Sam Simmonds says he will let his on-field performances continue to do the talking as the Chiefs chase glory on two fronts once again.
Part and parcel of Rob Baxter’s double-winning side of last season, the all-action No.8 insists the reigning English and European champions again have the bit between their teeth as they look to keep a firm grasp on their prized silverware.
Not even three weeks after lifting the Premiership title at an empty Twickenham Stadium in late October, the 26-year-old forward was signalling both his and Exeter’s intent across the Whitton Road in Round One of this season’s title defence.
Minus a glut of their star-studded heroes of last season’s two finals, the Chiefs kicked off their campaign in style, dishing out a 33-3 drubbing to Harlequins on their own patch.
In an ominous warning to their top-flight rivals, it was Simmonds who stole the show on the night, bagging an opening night hat-trick, which included a stunning solo effort that will no doubt be amongst the contenders for try of the season.
It was impressive stuff from the flame-haired forward, but that was just a taster of what has followed in a season which has already yielded 13 league tries in as many rounds of the competition. He currently holds a seven-try advantage over his nearest rival and there are many predicting that the former Teignmouth youngster will be smashing no end of league records come June.
His tally of 61 tries in just 91 appearances for the Chiefs makes a mockery of the term ‘prolific’ - but that is exactly what the current European Player of the Year has been like, particularly in the last two seasons where he has been simply unstoppable.
Former England coach Sir Clive Woodward and captain Lawrence Dallaglio have both questioned why Simmonds is not part of Eddie Jones’ current plans, while two-time World Cup winner with the All Blacks, Jerome Kaino, recently added to the clamour, tweeting: “I’m never one to critique coaches selections, but imo @samsimmonds_ should be in that mix, most consistent loosie in Europe the last two years.”
Alongside that star-studded endorsement, the Chiefs coaches have also touted the qualities of Simmonds, who won the last of his seven Test caps in the Six Nations defeat to Ireland back in March 2018.
Simmonds, himself, says it’s nice to hear the backing of some heavy hitters within the game, but his priority is to keep performing with the Chiefs and hope that at some stage he will again get his chance on the International stage.
“I was 23 when I was first involved with England and a lot has changed since that time,” he said. “At the time, it was all a bit sudden and it came as a shock to me to be involved and playing,” said Simmonds. “Then, I got injured, I was out for almost a whole season and the next task was just trying to break back into the team here at the club.
“Luckily, I put some performances together, found some form, but it was still another season of being away from that international scene. Over the last year and half, I’ve been consistent and I’ve been part of a very successful side here at the Chiefs.
“Of course I’d love to be part of that international mix, but at the same time I do understand that there are a lot of other players playing very well. Fans’ or pundits can have their say, but it’s Eddie who picks the team and he knows what he wants. It’s not easy to get all the best players into a 30-man squad, so I’m not the only one missing out in that respect. There are plenty of others playing well too.”
Whilst some will say Simmonds’ absence is England’s loss, it’s very much Exeter’s gain with the forward continuing to turn in stand-out performances for the Chiefs.
Alongside younger brother Joe, who last season skippered the Devonians to their double glory, they are part of a golden generation of players at the Chiefs whose burning ambition is to get ‘better and better’ as a collective.
“We don’t want last season to be a one-off,” admitted Simmonds. “As a group, we want to have a legacy of our own. We want to be like Saracens and Leinster, sides who have not just won Europe once, but have gone onto win it multiple times. If you look at our core group, a lot of us are of a similar age, around 26 or 27, so we’re coming into what you’d say is our prime years.
“If we can all stay together, then there is no reason why we can’t achieve more success over the next three, four, five years.”
It’s a strong statement of intent from Simmonds, who made his debut for the Chiefs back in November 2012 in an LV= Cup encounter against London Welsh. Since that game, he enjoyed loan spells at Plymouth Albion and the Cornish Pirates, both of whom helped to hone his talents within the senior game.
It was, however, at the Chiefs and under the watchful gaze of another try-scoring No.8, Thomas Waldrom, that Simmonds really started to flourish.
Simmonds admits he gleaned plenty from the former England international, who himself set records during his Sandy Park stay, scoring 51 tries in 101 appearances.
“Quite a few people said ‘Tank’ was a selfish player, but when I speak to the coaches, especially someone like Rob Hunter, he says his job was to pick-and-go and score tries,” he added. “Every player has a specific role within a team and if mine is to get on the end of things and score tries, I’ll take that!
“But, if I don’t score, I don’t go home and think I’ve had a bad game. I love scoring, don’t get me wrong, but there are other areas of my game I’m always working on. People will just see me scoring tries, but I am always trying to be better at the breakdown or being better when I don’t have the ball. These are things I’m always working on and, hopefully, it will make me a better player.”
