Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has given an honest review of Campbell Ridl\u2019s red card against Bath on Saturday, claiming that the promising young star did \u201ceverything wrong\u201d while trying to collect the high ball.<\/p>\n
The incident involved Bath sensation Henry Arundell being flipped upside down when jumping to collect the high ball. Ridl misjudged his jump, colliding with the England star, and was quickly issued a yellow card, which was soon upgraded to a 20-minute red.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the press about the incident after the match, Baxter said: \u201cCampbell\u2019s got everything wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just follows the ball too much. He doesn\u2019t really try and assess where the space is getting to, when you should be taking off, and when the opposition is going to be taking off. <\/p>\n
\u201cThose things, now, you\u2019ve got to have a sense for, and it\u2019s difficult because you\u2019ve got to have a feel for the space that\u2019s close in front of you, while having a feel for where the ball is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baxter<\/a>, while always direct, understood that mistakes can be made, insisting that Ridl will learn from his sending off.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a young guy,\u201d said the 54-year-old coach. \u201cHe\u2019s made a mistake. No one\u2019s going to punish him for doing that. He\u2019ll just do what he does. We\u2019ll just get him up on the field and do plenty of practice, and get on with things. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of those things that is dangerous again, because you have to have an aerial competition, sometimes players are going to get it wrong, simple as that really.\u201d<\/p>\n Bernard Jackman determined to change World Rugby law which leaves a \u2018sour taste\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n A promising future for the young Chief<\/p>\n Exeter Chiefs attack coach Dave Walder recently gave credit to the young winger after his try-scoring display against Leicester Tigers in December.<\/p>\n Speaking about his performance in the Leicester<\/a> match, Walder said: \u201cHe took to the game like a duck to water. Both sides of the ball he was really impressive. <\/p>\n \u201cHis positioning at times, he\u2019s still a young lad, he doesn\u2019t quite understand the flow of the game, but I think that\u2019s getting better day by day in training. And genuinely, with Harvey [Skinner] in training putting the ball in behind him, making him realise where he needs to be and things like that, that helps.\u201d<\/p>\n At just 20 years old, he\u2019s clearly still got plenty to learn, but most of the signs so far point to what will be an impressive career. A versatile player, Ridl is also capable of playing in the centres.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve only played him on the wing, but I think as a young man, it\u2019s easier to play wing and slide in later than just to play centre, and playing centre in the Premiership<\/a> is fast. So I think when you want to move from that, then your job is a bit simpler. <\/p>\n \u201cI think Sladey is outstanding in that 13 slot, and a great person to learn from. But I think I\u2019d see him at the moment staying in the wing, and then over time, maybe transitioning in the next sort of six, eight months, as he becomes more comfortable around the group. He\u2019s definitely got the skills to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as\u00a0a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a>\u00a0for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n