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

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.

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.

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.”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

3

Draws

0

Wins

2

Average Points scored

24

22

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

60%

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.”