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Rob Baxter delivers mixed injury update on Exeter's international stars


Exeter Chiefs' Director of Rugby Rob Baxter during the Gallagher PREM match between Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers at Sandy Park on December 28, 2025 in Exeter, England. (Photo by Bob Bradford - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has delivered a mixed injury update ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash with PREM top-four rivals Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

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With two games to go, the Chiefs are clinging to fourth place in the Gallagher Prem, two points ahead of fifth-place Saracens, who are visiting Sandy Park for the final regular game of the season on Saturday week.

But they will be without their Italy international flanker Ross Vintcent for the trip to Welford Road with an ankle injury that he picked up in the defeat to Harlequins at Twickenham last time out, while Wallabies outside Len Ikitau will be fit.

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Ollie Woodburn should also be fit to face the Tigers, while a decision will be taken on back row Greg Fisilau, who hasn’t played since the defeat at Gloucester in April after straining knee ligaments towards the end of the week.

“Ross Vincent’s ankle injury is slightly annoying and is probably the worst of those injuries. It’s not a bad one. It might take him a little time to settle. It’s just a bit of a twist with some ligament damage, but it doesn’t require an operation,” Baxter revealed.

“Hopefully that’ll be a fairly short turnaround. Len (Ikitau) also picked up a kind of an ankle knock in the game, which has just taken him a little bit of time to get over, but he’s come through that very well and is in full training

“Ollie (Woodburn) went into Quins with a little bit of a dead leg, as you probably saw with all the padding on, and got a bang pretty early in the game, and he was a bit limited throughout the whole part of the game.”

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Last 5 Meetings

Wins
3
Draws
0
Wins
2
Average Points scored
21
21
First try wins
60%
Home team wins
80%

Wales international back row Christ Tshiunza, who is leaving for Sale Sharks this summer, has played the last three games because of Fisilau’s injury and picked up a knock at Twickenham, but he has been given the all-clear.

“Chris is in really good form. I thought some of his cover defence, in particular against Quins, was fantastic. You know, he was the guy who got back and made a couple of try-saving tackles for us, and he’s in really good form, which is great to see at this stage,” added Baxter.

“You need players in form and playing well, and he’s come into the side when we picked up a few injuries in the back row, and I think he’s performed very, very well, very admirably.

“Were close to getting Greg back as well. He’s close to full training now. So that gives us the chance to keep assessing him towards the end of the week. So we’re starting to get a bit of a few options around the back five of the scrum again.”

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NoLongerARuck 18 minutes ago
France has conquered and reconquered Europe. Can it reach its Mount Everest?

UBB were outstanding in in the Champs cup they have been magnificent. Their attack is simply sublime and their defence was fantastic on the day but what this final really laid bare is the failings of Leinster under the Nienaber influence. Leinster had 12 entries, they had 57% possession and 55% territory. They made UBB make 213 tackles and they build well over 100 rucks in the match. They got just 19 points from all that and they turned over the ball a whopping 24 times. The Nienaber experiment has failed spectacularly. Leinster look lacklustre and lame on attack, they dont have the physicality to play this style, they have lost their DNA. In addition their transfer policy seems to be lacklustre. They lack out and out pace and power and it showed totally on that day. Their players do not have the necessary skills to play the Nienaber way and they have never fully committed to it in their signings. Its a pity RG Snyman wasnt fit, he may have made a difference but the X-Factor is gone in the wide areas and also from their phase play. Leinsters phase play is now way too predictable and easily defendable. it no longer cuts teams apart or breaks them down and on the day they were forced to play after going behind and never looked comfortable doing it. As much as I have praise for UBB their Top 14 record aint great. I think they sit in 5th. This game should not have been mission impossible for Leinster but it sure looked that way once LBB and co started moving the ball. Lucu was the maestro that conducted the downfall and UBB never looked to be in discomfort. They are a great side and deserve their victory.

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