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'Entirely different to what the referees asked for': All Blacks assistant on South African TV director's influence
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Exeter rotate massively for Paris trip with frontline stars rested
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Having comfortably begun their European Challenge Cup campaign with a bonus-point 42-12 win against the Cheetahs, Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has chosen to heavily rotate his squad for this Sunday’s fixture against Racing 92.
Scrum-half Charlie Chapman is the only survivor in the starting XV for the trip to Stade Dominique Duvauchelle, with the likes of England duo, Henry Slade and Immanual Fey-Waboso, and Aussie ace Len Ikitau all given the week off.
Lock Lewis Pearson has been promoted from the bench and will lead the side in the absence of another international, Wales’ Dafydd Jenkins.
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“We’ve got guys who we need to give a mandatory break to but also, we’ve got a wider squad that we need to use if we’re going to have success across three different competitions,” said Baxter.
“At the moment, we’ve got a good energy amongst the group and a good vibe. The important thing for us is that we go over to France with the expectation that we’ll take points away from the game. We want to perform from minute one and stay in the game.”
Loosehead prop Ethan Burger and hooker Julian Heaven return to the side to start in the front row with tighthead prop Jimmy Roots, who featured in last weekend’s win over the Cheetahs.
Pearson partners with Rusi Tuima in the second row, a comfortable pairing for the two who have been playing together since they were teenagers in the Chiefs academy.
Kane James is promoted to the starting XV wearing the number eight shirt with Richard Capstick and Martin Moloney packing down on the flanks.
Chapman partners EPCR debutant Ben Coen at half-back, while Will Rigg and Harry Ascherl start together in the midfield.
Campbell Ridl gets his first taste of European rugby on one wing, Dan John is on the other and Will Haydon-Wood lines up at full-back to round out the back three.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Will Haydon-Wood; 14 Dan John, 13 Harry Ascherl, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Campbell Ridl; 10 Ben Coen, 9 Charlie Chapman; 1 Ethan Burger, 2 Julian Heaven, 3 Jimmy Roots, 4 Lewis Pearson (c), 5 Rusi Tuima, 6 Richard Capstick, 7 Martin Moloney, 8 Kane James.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Khwezi Mona, 19 Oscar Beckerleg, 20 Ethan Roots, 21 Greg FIsilau, 22 Tom Cairns, 23 Ollie Batson
