Chiefs prepare bolstered team for Saracens trip

Exeter Chiefs return to Gallagher PREM action with a formidable line-up named to face Saracens at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Chiefs’ international contingent returns to the starting XV for the trip to North London five days shy of Christmas. There’s an early present for Campbell Ridl who, one week on from being named player of the match in his EPCR debut, is handed his league debut.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “Last weekend in France, we showed up with a great attitude, worked incredibly hard and showed character that could have won us the game. This weekend, like anything, we’ve got to stay in the game and not concede soft points.”

It’s a sizeable front row as props Will Goodrick-Clarke and Bachuki Tchumbadze are split by the 318-cap experienced Jack Yeandle at hooker.

Match captain Dafydd Jenkins links up with Andrea Zambonin in the second row while the feisty back-row of Tom Hooper, Ethan Roots and Greg Fisilau takes to the field together for the fifth time this season.

Italian scrum-half Stephen Varney has recovered from a rib injury picked up in the Quilter Nations Series to be named to start with fly-half Harvey Skinner. Len Ikitau and Henry Slade continue to develop on their blossoming partnership in the centres.

Ridl is in good company in the back three as Olly Woodburn shifts to full-back to accommodate Immanuel Feyi-Waboso returning to the right wing.

Baxter added: “The challenge for us is going to be not conceding points. Saracens have got a good kicking game, they play a tough territorial game. You’ve got to make sure you exit well, you kick with accuracy, you’re strong under the high ball and you fight for the 50/50’s on the floor.

“We’ve got a realisation of what we need to do, it’s just going to come down to how well we can do it.”

Having started against Racing 92, hooker Julian Heaven and prop Jimmy Roots are named beside Scott Sio in the replacement front row. Last weekend’s captain Lewis Pearson and Kane James round out the forwards group in the 5-3 bench split.

Strong performances in France mean that scrum-half Charlie Chapman, fly-half Will Haydon-Wood and centre Will Rigg write their names in the three remaining teamsheet spots.

The game kicks off at 15:00 in London live on TNT Sports.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Olly Woodburn

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

13 Henry Slade

12 Len Ikitau

11 Campbell Ridl

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Stephen Varney

1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

2 Jack Yeandle

3 Bachuki Tchumbadze

4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

5 Andrea Zambonin

6 Tom Hooper

7 Ethan Roots

8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Julian Heaven

17 Scott Sio

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Lewis Pearson

20 Kane James

21 Charlie Chapman

22 Will Haydon-Wood

23 Will Rigg