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Exeter name same team to face a Toulouse team forced into one change
Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has named an unchanged team to take on Toulouse on Sunday from the one that he believes put in their performance of the season against Bath last week.
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The Chiefs overcame Bath at Sandy Park in wild conditions in the Investec Champions Cup last 16, with Baxter praising the maturity of his young squad.
The 2020 Champions Cup winners travel to one of the unhappiest hunting ground for visitors in Europe, the Stade Ernest-Wallon, on Sunday and will face a Toulouse side that have made only one change to their XV after dismantling Racing 92 last week.
Paul Costes comes in for the injured Pierre-Louis Barassi in the midfield for the reigning Top 14 champions in the starting XV, while France fullback Thomas Ramos will make his return from injury and start on the bench.
“I think the performance against Bath Rugby was possibly one of our best of the season in a lot of ways,” Baxter said after naming his side.
“They’re a good side and they’ve had a couple of good results against us this season. They’re one of the form teams in the Gallagher Premiership – home and away – so we’re very pleased with the result.
“The way the lads got into the game the way we wanted to and the way they dealt with the scoreboard pressure and the conditions was really good as well. I think it kind of shows a level of maturity a bit beyond where the team could or should be. So, I think it bodes well for where we’re heading as a Premiership team. Now our test this weekend is seeing where we’re heading as a European team as well.
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“We said in the changing room that, as a team, the players have got to do one of the hardest things you do in sport which is to get yourself to a very competitive level two weeks running. At the same time, that’s how you win trophies. Winning trophies and getting to big games is when you put back-to-back performances in. So, that’s the next step for us to try to achieve.”
Exeter Chiefs XV
15 Josh Hodge
14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
13 Henry Slade
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Tom Cairns
1 Scott Sio
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Ehren Painter
4 Rusi Tuima
5 Dafydd Jenkins (c)
6 Ethan Roots
7 Christ Tshiunza
8 Ross Vintcent
Replacements
16 Jack Innard
17 Danny Southworth
18 Marcus Street
19 Lewis Pearson
20 Greg Fisilau
21 Stu Townsend
22 Will Haydon-Wood
23 Zack Wimbush
Toulouse XV
15. Blair Kinghorn
14. Juan Cruz Mallia
13. Paul Costes
12. Pita Ahki
11. Matthis Lebel
10. Romain Ntamack
9. Antoine Dupont (c)
1. Cyril Baille
2. Peato Mauvaka
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Richie Arnold
5. Emmanuel Meafou
6. Jack Willis
7. François Cros
8. Alexandre Roumat
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Replacements
16. Julien Marchand
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Joel Merkler
19. Thibaud Flament
20. Joshua Brennan
21. Paul Graou
22. Thomas Ramos
23. Santiago Chocobares
