Rivalry resumed for pre-season

By Nigel Walrond

Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester and Bath are to meet in a mouth-watering pre-season tournament.

With the start of the 2015-16 Aviva Premiership season delayed due to the World Cup taking place on these shores, the three West Country rivals are to stage a round-robin competition, playing each other home and away, to give those players not involved in the global showpiece some valuable game time.

It will also provide supporters with something to get their teeth into on the club scene while the World Cup pool matches are being staged.

Exeter chairman and chief executive Tony Rowe said: "We are not allowed to play any Aviva Premiership games until October 17 because of the World Cup, so ourselves, Bath and Gloucester have got together, and starting on September 5, and for six weeks after that, we are going to have a round-robin cup competition.

"We want to give our supporters something to enjoy. We want to play rugby. We can’t just sit on our backsides for six weeks, so this is a little West Country tournament, and it will be really good.

"We are trying to get the television companies excited about it, and we have already had a chat between ourselves that there is no reason why we can’t keep it going beyond next season.’

"There is great rivalry between the three clubs, but there is great friendship as well."