So how did Exeter conquer Europe? | The Squidge Report | Champions Cup Final 2020

Ten years ago, they were written off, 1-2 for relegation. On Saturday, they were crowned the best team in Europe. But how did Rob Baxter's Exeter see off the formidable challenge off Racing 92 and complete a remarkable 12-year journey?
If you've enjoyed any of the channel's content, you can also support Squidge Rugby on Patreon by visiting / squidgerugby , so I can fart on a fish idk nobody reads this sentence anyway

[@ifanevans324]

This man should be on scrum V and in the studio doing live coverage as a pundit

[@AhJong0]

Lol might be too interesting and informed for ScrumV 😆

[@James_C_Murphy]

Squidge your coverage is outrageously high quality and well thought out. I learn something about rugby when I watch. Cheers! Look forward to the Bledisloe cup vids.

[@paulmulryne8405]

Totally agree. Why a professional team hasn’t picked him up and paid him good money to do this for them, I’ll never know.

[@tedphillips4197]

@@paulmulryne8405 other teams do have other anyalasists as good, or probably even better than squidgy. Also, they probably don't earn too much money which is why squidge would probably say no, cuz he probably earns quite a bit from KZbin and Patreon

[@paulmulryne8405]

@@tedphillips4197 which of course begs the question why lowly paid analysts don’t start a KZbin channel instead... he’s certainly a long way beyond anything you get from mainstream TV or print media.

[@MikeH89]

For imhoffs try, it's worth mentioning that he ended up being the scrum half in racings top 14 win back in 2016 after machenaud was sent off. Played 60 minutes at 9.

[@euanmorse]

7:32 the pass was also definitely forward

[@MathyouJames]

The coughing over the clubs name is funny because that's the one element of the branding the campaign doesn't have any issues with.

[@wblackmore8094]

they were the chiefs before the branding so the name is absolutely fine

[@MathyouJames]

@@wblackmore8094 quick someone tell Squidge

[@bunniesforlife719]

Ohh I didnt get that... so it's a dig at the name being trade marked or something?

[@MathyouJames]

@@bunniesforlife719 so recently there was a campaign to get the Chiefs to change their branding from the Native Indian stuff because it's not really anything to do with Exeter. It's been quite high profile recently and as a result the clubs dropped its mascot. It's why Squidge earlier made the joke about another "feather in their culturally appropriated cap" (which to be fair is pretty funny) Thing is though, the club was called the Chiefs well before that imagery was used and the campaign didn't actually want the club to change its name. He's coughing over it because it's sort of making a joke out of him not using the "culturally appropriated" team name but doesn't really work as that's not what the issue was

[@somanytakennames]

@@MathyouJames Why not just change the mascot to an Anglo-Saxon chief or something? Keep the name, have imagery that's a bit more related to the country the club is in.

[@georgechetwood8061]

I like the way you say Jack "NOW"!!

[@williamhay2418]

Feather in their culturally appropriated cap. Excellent. Just excellent.

[@mrsensible3560]

It's really not

[@priyaypatil2536]

I am a football fan and I have never watched a single rugby match , still KZbin recommended this and I am watching it and I liked it was Well. Maybe I should start watching rugby as well.

[@adamdickinson2894]

3:01 "Is this legal? Who cares, they keep getting away with it." Which ironically is the mantra Saracens took with the salary cap breach 😂😂

[@mpbeastohugbear83]

Loved the video, so pleased that you tweeted when you were posting it! I might not have seen it for at least another 10 minutes otherwise. That would've been unbearable

[@guidof9520]

Looking forward to your video on the growth of the Exeter C-Words! All jokes aside you did a fantastic video about La Rochelle's rise, so I would love to see it happen!

[@paraicm17]

Your analysis is spot on and entertaining. Good stuff, keep it up.

[@jamesstevenson9340]

great video squidgy i really enjoyed that final match was really nail biting and a great match to show what rugby is

[@filippoarvigo594]

Fantastic content as always! Would also absolutely enjoy a vid on Exeter's story too (like the vid on La Rochelle)!! Cheers, keep 'em coming!

[@mileslavers]

That was just what I was looking for. Great stuff. Many thanks

[@tegid99]

Can't wait for some more international analysis over the next few weeks!! Always such great quality content from you Squidge!

[@finn54123]

Bledisloe, trinations

[@simonrendell9834]

I remember that edition of Rugby World, and I remember sharing lifts from my village to training at Crediton with Jack Yeandle. A special team, a special club and a special achievement. Especially for those of us who grew up as the club did the same.

[@Jocw27]

Fun fact : Imhoff actually played about 60 minutes as a scrum half when Machenaud got a red card in R92's top finals against Toulon. And Racing won despite being 14 against 15

[@samw9964]

Really enjoy your work and thanks for it. Always learning a bit of insight (but trying to unsee the butt crack!)

[@fraserposford144]

A new Squidge video on my birthday? Best present I could ask for, thanks Squidge!

[@SquidgeRugby]

Happy Birthday!! Have a wonderful day!!

[@DewanG-xh2ig]

Just saw you on the Chasing The Sun documentary. It was so cool to see you there. Respect!

[@joedredd1168]

Exeter Chiefs! My local team!! Couldn't have been more happier when I saw this!

[@FB-tf3si]

Great breakdown mate!🏉💪🏻

[@83Jonathanlee]

New to this channel - great analysis. Keep it coming.

[@TheBigAyland]

I will never tire of your use of Pokémon plush toys as play recreations

[@grosie999]

Been waiting for this video since the final whistle

[@frasero3915]

You should do a video on the rise of exeter(one of the 30mins videos)

[@gravity-arbor]

I read the book Exe Men; wow it’s impressive how long it took and the efforts of so many, notably Baxter family.

[@hitchikerspie]

Surprised you didn’t talk about Racing not taking the penalty at the end of the game vamped on the _cough_’s line, even going for a driving maul as opposed to a scrum seemed odd.

[@jaqe0909]

I was waiting for this

[@Joellercoaster]

"This man's name is Luke Cowan-Dickie and he is real." :-D

[@willpageauthor]

Squidge is back to his very best. I've actually given up watching professional pundits on TV knowing you can wait a few days and get this rich analysis on KZbin.

[@tomascarrio2343]

Awsome as always!! Just one thing, Imhoff father was a flanker for the Pumas, Pedro(little brother) was 9!

[@Noah-do4he]

Squidge can you please do a vid on this years bat s*** toulouse

[@Tom-vu1wr]

Tolouse were so good and at he start of that match against Exeter they practically went to another planet

[@alexmctavish5264]

Can’t believe you said mommy hill making a mistake was Jonny gray my second row would never

[@gezzarandom]

Brilliant analysis, the only negative aspect of that game was there was no crowd. Which was a real shame because the atmosphere would have been intense.

[@wibbers01]

You were coughing alot in that video Squidge. Might want to get yourself a Covid test booked.

[@alexandre526]

As a Toulouse fan, I had a bad feeling about that semi final, and then we lost :(

[@MichaeldeSousaCruz]

Well done!

[@phrankster909]

Most of the neutrals are really happy to see Exeter doing so well. Curious though that they have Nowell and Slade who don't start for England and are well behind Watson, Tuilagi, May, and Daly. That might change if they beat Wasps this weekend. I'm always happy to see Stuart Hogg do well as he's one of my favourite players and a really great bloke.

[@EVSmith-by9no]

I always thought they should try to make room for Jack Nowell. He’s consistently excellent.

[@Tom-vu1wr]

Sam and Joe simmonds should really start for England as well. Joe simmonds if they run the double 10s and Sam could play over vunipola and at 6

[@thelonelystaples]

Just watched this after Leinster vs Exeter quarter final and Leinster just poached ever second ball completely disrupting any ball for them. Exactly like what did Racing here

[@benscrumhalf]

I see squidge video.. I press like.

[@dominicfeetham3583]

This guy is sick, like really good

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

Squidgipoo, you should do a weekly recap on the MLR, I think you could get a huge potential audience for it.

[@Tom-vu1wr]

Lol the problem with racing imo is that they r too reliant on vakatawa and Russel to be op. And although they r most of the time when Russel has a dodgy game like this it's a problen

[@philousanpareil1685]

Iribaren was injured and he apologised after the game for still wanting to play and admitted that he should not have been on the field at all.

[@nicolasfraize7552]

i think that iribaren had a bad start because he was asked to be hyperactive around the ruck and to play at high speed to give some space out wide because it fits his style of play.However he overplayed a bit and missed quite a lot because he was tensed on all phases. The tought part of the scrumhalf job is to be able to manage rythm variations... that is why he is not in the France squad

[@ohIshatmyself]

Just a heads up that you (as well as the commentary team on the day) got your Jonnys mixed up for the Imhof try, it was Jonny Hill.

[@Cloggieclover]

No one seems to notice that aha. Also, it was definitely Harry Williams who should've made that tackle

[@lucasmunoz7510]

squidge do a video on the 4 nation in south america thats going on its chile uruguay argentina and brazil would love to see a video on these nations cheers

[@malcaniscsm5184]

Much more Squidge whaletail in this video than I expected

[@alexchapman3906]

Hope wasps have listened to your cross field kick vs walking forwards idea. Could be their key to the title.

[@hohum2722]

Fantastic analysis as always. Just one comment Jack Nowell's surname is pronounced "Noel" (as in Edmonds). It's a Cornish thing...

[@realEpenguin]

Imagine the people who didn't watch the other chiefs video and how confused they would be with all the coughing

[@Stanners_]

Jack N-ole Squidge!!

[@hitchikerspie]

Giving me hope for Irish eventually

[@michaelcollins4126]

Will there be a video on bristols European win??🥺

[@francoisleroy6625]

4:50, in addition Teddy Irribaren says that he injuried himself the day before the final and it had been worst when he miss this kick. That can be explain why he was so off in the match

[@charlottescott7150]

That is a shame but why did he play then?

[@thomas_corbet]

@@charlottescott7150 Ego. Pure ego.

[@francoisleroy6625]

@@charlottescott7150 players are so competitive, maybe the final is too big to be miss

[@zisssssou]

All credit must go to Baxter who settled a real identity to Exeter. Certainly not the most glamorous players or style of play, but they achieve to be truly efficient and make the opposition playing risky rugby, dare difficult actions and make... mistakes.

[@stephenzable]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmGtlpafn9SebLs might have been mentioned earlier but it was Jonny Hill that got stepped by Imhoff not Gray. @8:08

[@samwise7538]

For what it's worth the name "Chiefs" is probably the only bit of the branding that isn't actually culturally appropriated. The first team have been called the Chiefs for decades before the horrendous Indigenous Peoples branding was adopted and Devon club 1st teams are often called Chiefs.

[@samuelsmith6281]

Perhaps it's wise to rebrand the Chiefs with the image of a Anglo Saxon Chief with an axe and shield instead of a Native American Chief then?

[@ollybowes7542]

@@samuelsmith6281 Or better - a Celtic chieftain with King Arthur vibes

[@samuelsmith6281]

@@ollybowes7542 Exeter's history of settlement apparently starts with the Romans not the Celts so an Anglo-Saxon Chief is probably more in keeping though a Celtic Chief was my initial thought too until I checked up on the local history.

[@ollybowes7542]

@@samuelsmith6281 I was more thinking post-roman British - I think the Cornish and Devon lot would probably not like a Saxon mascot, aha

[@samuelsmith6281]

@@ollybowes7542 yeah that would work either way better than their current club badge.

[@CasualCardCollection]

Can you do a video on what's happened to Exeter? Don't seem to be having anywhere near the same impact as seasons prior.

[@tomburns9453]

Do you think Jack 'The Jackal' Willis is good enough to turn over Exeter and give wasps the platform they need?

[@andrewgranger3370]

Squidge can we get a video on Bristol Bears?

[@PureInsanity6]

Johnny Gray should tackle Imhoff when he scores but Harry Williams should absolutely melt him as well. For Slade's try Russell's pass is stupid but it's on and then he gets a bad pass off 9

[@alister2228]

its actually Johnny Hill and not Johnny Gray in that passage of play.

[@ciaranburke6252]

You gotta do Bristol next

[@thomas_corbet]

It felt more like Racing gave away that game and Exeter were just smart enough to take it. Iribaren insisting on playing injured then insisting on staying in the game when his coach wanted to replace him... well that's just pure selfish stupidity.

[@Cantabinexile]

Would be. A great game against the Crusaders

[@richardwilkinson3500]

Could you do a Video on the Rugby league Challenge cup last week

[@Tom-vu1wr]

He doesn't do league unfortunately

[@LureThosePixels]

Second Bledisloe breakdown when

[@meschachkindundu8131]

Can you talk about the challenge cup next please?

[@vadersjester]

This is a great video, but pretty sure it was Jonny Hill, not Gray, wearing 5 that Imhoff runs past for his try.

[@Tom-vu1wr]

Yes

[@tribester07]

Oh, so the coughing is a joke, not Covid related. I just found it annoying.

[@croulantroulant3082]

Iribaren had a shocker. Never seen him play that bad. End of explanation for how Exeter won.

[@justinraal5730]

can you make the sound louder?

[@leonardodavinci7425]

Five months later and they are knocked out by a superior Leinster team!

[@diggyzeus186]

Can you do Bledisloe 2 please???

[@louisejames4672]

Mr squidge can you please cover the autumn m internationals please

[@rscoops3986]

Watch the end of the video haha

[@peterriordan4840]

Great analysis as always man but the real reason they won is because they some how avoided an Irish team.

[@rscoops3986]

Someone's sore :(

[@peterriordan4840]

@@rscoops3986 Fair point

[@tobysweeney1762]

They were lucky Saracens lost to Racing, Saracens have a huge mental edge on them having won all their important matches...

[@marcusreed7584]

I'm italian, but I watch a lot of america's videos because I usually understand english, but you are incomprehensible for me. I had reduced the speed and listened very carefully, but it's still too difficult. Someone can explain me why?

[@marcusreed7584]

It's the pronunciation

[@tomcornwell1178]

Can you do Bristol

[@mauveijn]

6:30 did you say Finn-omenal?

[@ewanw5654]

Racing played the more exciting rugby but you can’t say they deserve to win with the passes Finn Russel was throwing

[@ewanw5654]

@Jay M I didn’t say anyone said that, it’s just a general statement on how I felt about the match

[@finn54123]

Bledisloe 2 video pls? Nvr mind sry

[@oliverhunt1171]

Soo... are we tipping wasps?

[@paddyk3748]

Do you work for a club?

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

Mens arses, brought to you by Thrifty

[@tjrugbymuscle]

Do you think it's actually a problem that they are called the Chiefs?

[@this_username_is_taken7004]

Any sane person would see no problem. It's only a small, "woke!" minority that's getting worked up about a non-issue. We should pay no heed to them, they're just screaming banshees.

[@mawganosborne1656]

Jack Nowell not Jack NoWll

[@mawganosborne1656]

Great Video though

[@BotteEnTouche]

Boooo! Boooo Squidge for breaking down and analyzing in an intelligent and factual manner my team's loss! I just want to be mad and upset!

[@mrsensible3560]

Squidge's wokeness is ALMOST insufferable. I would absolutely LOVE to hate him. But I can't because his content is simply EXCELLENT and nobody else compares.

[@mrman8541]

Just wave the tomahawk chop and war cry at him and drink it in.

[@hl4872]

The coughing was class 😂

[@andyanderson5326]

Crusaders v Exeter ?

[@ryaneckhardtgamble7261]

bledisloe 2 pls

[@CianMcCabe98]

Time Ireland brought Zebo back - especially with Larmour injured

[@rufusheathcote]

i cant tell if the cough was real

[@emenono6376]

who you got wasps or chiefs

[@joeyfischler1031]

He did say chiefs are favourites, and they are. But wasps will step up to the plate i would imagine and give us a great game. Jack Willis, Robson, Fekitoa, Kibirigie and Rowlands are amongst the best in their positions in the premiership and would probably make the exeter side.

[@Tom-vu1wr]

If Bristol had had to play I think they would've had a better chance

[@joshpaul9155]

8.08: I'm pretty sure you said the wrong Jonny and now Scotland has declared war on Wales. I knew the union was doomed but didnt expect it to end like this. See you on the battlefield

[@joshpaul9155]

Also you didnt mention the true Heroe of the day wee Sammy Hidalgo-Clyne so theres another reason;))🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@still976]

Do you have Covid? what's with the cough?

[@dimitardobrev3296]

i think he does it sarcastically as it is usually preceded or followed with some cryptic comment.

[@lukemcadie9951]

kolbe is the best defensive winger

[@AF-sh9pj]

Jack NAWELL

[@andrewsteel9958]

8:05 its Jonny Hill not Jonny Gray

[@joeyfischler1031]

look what the've done to my boy.

[@grahamvincent2133]

Iribaren was just as shit in the final a few years ago against Leinster. His constant dilly dallying at the ruck cos Racing possession and opportunities for points. Never seen the fuss in him tbh.