Clive Stuart-Smith column

By Clive Stuart-Smith
Exeter Chiefs scrum-half and BBC Devon columnist

The Pirates are a top side and have the ability to turn anyone over

As we are now well into the month of "Movember", no doubt you will see quite a few obscure moustaches around the sporting world.

We have decided to support the cause and after the stick Tom Johnson got last year for lack of facial hair, he spent a year trying to grow one in time for November.

Unfortunately, Tom still hasn't sprouted any form of stubble, bless him.

That disappointment aside, we headed up to Welford Road last weekend ready for our game against Nottingham in good spirits.

After a solid win against Bedford it was an opportunity to pick up another win on the road against one of the top sides in the league, at one of the top venues.

There wasn't a packed stadium like there had been for the Springboks game the night before, so it was up to us to create our own atmosphere.

Things started well. We scored off the first phase, which is actually quite a rare occurrence. It's a good feeling knowing the time we spend on that facet of the game in training actually came to fruition.

On a lighter note there seems to be a serious battle between the changing rooms building up Clive Stuart-Smith

We continued to exert a large amount of pressure on them and, fortunately, points followed, allowing us to build a very good lead.

Nottingham were not in the game at half-time, which is not something that happens to them very often. However, we did miss some clear cut chances to score and that is something we will have to address - come the end of the year, they could be the difference between winning promotion and missing out.

At the end of the game, we were disappointed not to push on and turn our possession into points but glad to have won with a bonus point.

This weekend we face Cornish Pirates and we know exactly what they will bring.

They are a top side and have the ability to turn anyone over, so we will have to be on top form to get the result we want.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the squad, I'd like to offer Josh Matavesi our congratulations for being selected for the Fiji squad for the Autumn internationals and wish him good luck .

It is a great opportunity for him to show what he is capable of on a world stage.

On a lighter note, there seems to be a serious battle between the changing rooms building up.

We have had the cake, clothes and boots war (which finished 2-1 to the room of boom), but things have escalated and it is now a battle of shampoo.

There are always stealth missions going on as to what one changing room can get back into theirs without the other one knowing.

So far the best theft made without anyone knowing has been Chris Bentley!