Where are they now? The Exeter side who beat Saracens in their debut season

Exeter Chiefs will host a winner-takes-all clash with Saracens at Sandy Park, with a place in the Gallagher PREM top four at stake, almost 16 years after their first clash in the top flight on 30 October 2010.

The Chiefs had just been promoted to the then Premiership and travelled to high-flying Sarries, who were playing at Vicarage Road, Watford, for a round seven clash, winning 23-9 to claim their first ever win on the road.

Fly-half Ryan Davis was the hero, scoring 18 points on his Premiership debut, and their other try scorer was Brett Sturgess, whose late effort killed off any chances of a comeback in the final 10 minutes.

Alex Goode kicked three penalties for the previous season’s runners-up Saracens, who were being linked with a move for Gavin Henson, and hadn’t lost at home for eight months.

Luke Arscott: The full-back is settled in the Bristol area, where he is head coach of Dings Crusaders and is operations manager for a property firm.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Exeter Chiefs

07:15

6 Jun 26

Saracens

All Stats and Data

Andy Higgins: A winger who has worked in events, as a licensee and in hospitality, and is the tournament director of the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s.

Phil Dollman: The centre who scored a try in the Chiefs’ 2017 Premiership-winning success is a sales rep for Medical Equipment Manufacturing firm Stryker.

Bryan Rennie: The Scotland A centre has settled in Hong Kong, where he is co-owner of RugbyTots Hong Kong and executive director of the Hong Kong Sevens.

Mark Foster: The winger has worked as a senior vice president of finance at LIV Golf and is now the chief financial officer of Centaur, a multi-boutique specialist insurance group.

Ryan Davis: The former England under-21 fly-half worked in project management but is now a long-serving member of the coaching staff at his first club, Bath.

Haydn Thomas: A scrum-half who had two spells with Exeter Chiefs and is still at Sandy Park on Rob Baxter’s coaching staff and also coaches Exeter University.

Brett Sturgess: The loosehead has coached his home town side, Kettering, where he started his career, and is a director of the family decorating firm.

Neil Clark: The England under-21 hooker who had two spells at Exeter and owns Whealdream Holidays and Leisure, a golf and tourism complex he owns in Helston, Cornwall.

Chris Budgen: The New Zealand-born tighthead combined playing with serving in the British Army as a Lance Corporal in the Royal Welsh Regiment.

Tommy Hayes: The lock, who is the brother of legendary Irish prop John, qualified as a Quantity Surveyor and returned to Ireland, where he has coached and worked in farming.

James Hanks: A lock who was forced to retire with a neck injury became a sports coach and then the master in charge of rugby at Dulwich College, where he is now a housemaster.

Tom Johnson: The England international flanker is based in Lympstone, Devon and founded a health and wellbeing lifestyle brand, and now works as a personal coach.

James Scaysbrook: England Saxons flanker was head coach at Plymouth Albion and coached at Coventry, but is now the defence coach for the Ireland women’s team.

Richard Baxter: The No.8 is a former Chiefs captain and holds the club appearance record, runs the family farm and is the brother of Chiefs boss Rob.

REPLACEMENTS
Simon Alcott: The Hooker went into the offshore energy industry and has worked for several companies

Ben Moon: The former England loosehead is a director of Moon’s self-storage and is a sales and account manager at United Fixings.

Hoani Tui: The New Zealand-born tighthead has been an assistant coach to the Wellington under-15s team.

Peter Kimlin: The Wallaby lock went into project management and is working for Sodexo in Perth, Australia.

Chad Slade: The Samoan No.8 is now a programme leader with Youngtown Inc in Auckland, New Zealand.

Junior Poluleuligaga: The Samoan scrum-half is now Director of Rugby at Brothers Rugby Club in Albion, Queensland

Josh Matavesi: The Fijian centre is still playing for his hometown club, Camborne, and has worked in logistics and consultancy.

Sireli Naqelevuki: The Fijian centre who played prop in sevens is back living in Suva and works for himself.