Exeter include just 1 new signing in their XV to host Leicester
Rob Baxter has named his Exeter side to host Leicester at Sandy Park when the Gallagher Premiership league leaders resume their 2019/20 campaign on Saturday.
The Chiefs have added eight new faces since their last fixture but of all the newcomers to arrive, only Scottish international Jonny Gray is afforded a starting role. He will debut in the second row alongside Jonny Hill, while fellow newcomer and compatriot, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, is named among the replacements.
Elsewhere, the Premiership line-up has a familiar feel with England duo Ollie Devoto and Henry Slade in the Exeter midfield, Scottish captain Stuart Hogg at full-back, while Joe Simmonds skippers the side from fly-half.
In the pack, it’s an all-England front row of Alec Hepburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Harry Williams, while Sam Simmonds’ guile at No8 will be complemented with the African might of Dave Ewers and Jannes Kirsten.
On the bench, there is the welcome sight of Tomas Francis. The Welsh prop has not played since severely damaging his shoulder in Wales’ World Cup semi-final defeat to South Africa back October last year.
?- TEAM NEWS: Here is your @ExeterChiefs side to face @LeicesterTigers in Rd 14 of @premrugby tomorrow at @SandyParkExeter (2pm) ??https://t.co/YiGgSWXJr1#EXEvLEI pic.twitter.com/fSdx3ZVFH7
— Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) August 14, 2020
Exeter boss Baxter said ahead of the Premiership restart: “I hope a team will never have to win a season like we have had this year – and I hope we don’t have another extended period away from rugby like we have had. Some guys here will have the experience of playing a Premiership game in front of zero crowd.
“Obviously, you don’t want that to happen again, but it’s still an experience you can say you have had, you have triumphed over and something you can ultimately embrace.?? People are thinking it will be hugely different, but I don’t see it that way. Here we are in August, yet every other year we would play a pre-season game in August and run into the season in September.
“September is only two weeks’ away and that is when we will play the majority of our games. It’s more when we get into October, playing in semi-finals and finals, when it could be different weather conditions than what you would get normally for a June final, where it will different.
“However, to experience that, you have to get to that position first. Just like every other year our intentions will be to use these first block of games to make sure we get there and start to tick a few of those boxes off.
“That’s when you can start to look beyond that and talk about semi-finals and finals. For now, we are not going to look that far ahead until we start knocking over a few points because we are not that far ahead of the rest of the field for us to start putting ourselves under pressure by not turning up and playing well.
“I don’t think Leicester will try and change their DNA too much. It’s more of a case that I think they will try and rediscover it. Let’s not forget, Leicester have won a lot of competitions and they have been a very strong club for a very long time, so their ethos and what they are all about will still remain relatively strong.”
EXETER CHIEFS (v Leicester, Saturday)
15 Stuart Hogg; 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Olly Woodburn; 10 Joe Simmonds (capt), 9 Jack Maunder; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 8 Sam Simmonds.
Replacements
16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Don Armand, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten.
New boss Borthwick has chosen his first Leicester XV ? https://t.co/mHlXEFzCJT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 14, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Fiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to comments