Simmonds happy to lead by example
By Mark Stevens
6/3/20
With the nation having elected a new man at No.10 back in December, here at Sandy Park it’s the job of Joe Simmonds to provide the lead role for the Exeter Chiefs.
Unlike Boris Johnson who is having to provide daily solutions to the threat of coronavirus, 23-year-old Simmonds has the task of plotting out Exeter’s latest game plan for the visit of Bath in the Gallagher Premiership.
Not only will Simmonds assume the role of Exeter’s chief playmaker, but the Torquay-born back will once again take up the captaincy duties as the Devonians look to bounce back from last weekend’s last-gasp defeat to Harlequins.
Simmonds produced a virtuoso performance at The Stoop a week ago, scoring 25 of his side’s 30 points on the day. Sadly, his efforts were in all in vain as a penalty try – six minutes into added on time – thwarted Exeter’s hopes of claiming a third successive Premiership win.
Although defeated, Rob Baxter’s side maintained their position at the summit of the table, five points clear of next-best Sale Sharks, and ten clear of Saturday’s visitors, who themselves came unstuck on home turf to arch rivals Bristol Bears.
Simmonds admitted post-game that last Saturday’s loss was ‘tough to take’, particularly given what happened in the closing stages, but now was the time for him and his team-mates to regroup and go once more.
“Last week was tough to take,” he said. “Any away game in the Premiership is hard. Going to Quins’, it was wet and windy, and it was tough for us to get our attack going. If we’re honest, we felt we probably left a few opportunities out there and it meant we fell short come the end.Full credit to Harlequins, they stuck in there, but now we have to push forward and go again.
“We’ve talked this week about what we need to do to put things right and, hopefully, come Saturday we can go out there and put in a big performance. Like Rob said, we can’t really blame the ref for things, we’ve got to be better than that and not put ourselves in positions like that.”
It’s a learning game for everyone at the Chiefs, including Simmonds, who says he is relishing the responsibility of being the club’s on-field leader.
“I like the added responsibility,” he added. “As a ten you naturally talk and lead the team, but being captain adds to things and is definitely a bit different. Not only do I have to worry about my own role, but I have to think of the others as well.
“Obviously, when you look around the team we have lots of other leaders within the side. Guys like Stuart Hogg, he’s Scotland captain, Sam Skinner is another international, Denno [Dave Dennis], Sladey [Henry Slade], they all help to make my job a lot easier.”
Equally, the advice of head coach Ali Hepher, himself a fly-half back in his playing days, and team-mates Slade and Gareth Steenson merely help add to the brains trust for Simmonds on a daily basis.
“What I like about working with Ali is he’s very honest,” said Simmonds. “If I have a bad performance, he tells me where I need to improve and get things right. At the same time, if I play well he’s the first to highlight those good points, as are the likes of Sladey, Steeno and Harvey [Skinner].
“Working with all of those guys, I think you can always take on board things from any of them and, hopefully, they take on things from me. As a group, we’re all working for the same goals, which is to make the Chiefs as successful as we can be.”
Well, based on current form, the Chiefs are cruising along nicely, sitting top of the pile in the Premiership and in the last eight of the Heineken Champions Cup.
According to Simmonds, it’s a great place to be, but he’s the first to acknowledge nothing is won in March and it’s what happens now that will ultimately dictate what the Chiefs do later in the season.
“I think as a squad we know we have some great opportunities ahead of us this season,” continued Simmonds. “We’re top of the Premiership and we’re in the last eight of Europe. For us, though, the focus is on this week, not what can happen further down the line.
“After last week we’re hurting, but so too will be Bath. They’ll be coming down here looking to get back on track the same as us, so we’ve got to be ready for them. We need to stick to our plan better and make sure we play the Chiefs way, because when we do that, then we are capable of beating any side.”
Indeed, Exeter’s last showing on home soil illustrated that point perfectly as the Chiefs swept aside the challenge of Northampton Saints 57-7.
“You could say that was a benchmark performance for us,” said Simmonds. “At the same time, although we scored 57 points, we were still a bit annoyed that we didn’t quite finish a few other things off. Yes, it was great to get the win, not just for ourselves, but also the fans’, but we did feel we could be even better.”
Comments like that from Simmonds are ominous, particularly for rival teams, but it’s a mark of the standards now being set by Baxter and his team, which includes Simmonds’ older brother, Sam.
Having started last season on-fire, his season was cruelly curtailed when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a Round Five fixture against Worcester Warriors. Forced to watch most of the campaign from the sidelines, he has just the frustration of that time to fire his charge this season.
“Sam’s probably the form player in the Premiership right now, he’s been brilliant,” was the assessment of his younger brother. “I’m glad he’s on our team and not another!
“To see him back, though, is great. I know last season was tough for him, but it was tough for me as well as I wanted to be out there playing with him each week. Sometimes we take it for granted that we’re both playing in the same side, but I do think when we are out there together it does bring the best out in us both.”
Well, this Saturday afternoon both Simmonds brothers will be in tandem as the Chiefs look to rediscover their winning formula.
