Skinner to lead Uni into Final battle

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By Mark Stevens
22/3/2016

Exeter Chiefs forward Sam Skinner will lead Exeter University into battle in tomorrow’s BUCS Championship Final against Loughborough at Twickenham.

Undefeated during qualification from the Premier South A League, Exeter then saw off Newcastle University 39-5 in the quarter-final, before Durham University were disposed of in the semi-final 36-10.

The impressive form of Keith Fleming’s side has not only been rewarded by their trip to Rugby HQ, but Paul Davies, Freddie Hosking, Harry Ledger, Ollie Claxton, Sam Waltier and Alex Brown have all been called into the England Students 30-man training squad.

It’s just reward for an outstanding campaign to date, but the Green & Whites want to top it off in style with a big performance against a Loughborough outfit, who themselves have qualified unbeaten from the Northern section.

Director of Rugby Fleming (pictured), who has been assisted in running the first team by current Chiefs Damian Welch and Haydn Thomas, as well as former Exeter fly-half Tony Yapp, said: “We have done well this season. We set ourselves standards right from the start of pre-season and we have built on those foundations and constantly improved where we need to.

"We have a great set of guys that are keen to work hard and like always, we are treating the final as another game and we are preparing well for Wednesday. I have said to the players that Twickenham is just another pitch with a few more seats around it! I am confident they can adapt and not let the occasion get to them.

"Loughborough have a lot of good players and the final will be a great advert for Student Rugby with it being the best two sides in the country going up against each other. It will be a tough challenge, but it would be testament to everyone’s hard work involved with Exeter Rugby if were to win the trophy on Wednesday.”