Braves side to face London Irish

By Mark Stevens
20/1/20

Exeter Braves are back in action again this evening when London Irish provide the opposition in Round Five of this season’s Premiership Rugby Shield at Sandy Park (7:30pm).

Ricky Pellow’s side currently sit second in the South Conference on 15 points, seven points adrift of defending champions Saracens Storm, who are the only side to have defeated the Braves in the competition this season.

The Londoners have played a game more than the Braves, but Pellow is hoping to make up ground on their rivals against an Exiles outfit, who themselves are sitting third in the standings, having picked up two wins from their four games to date.

The Braves come into the game having finished 2019 on a high note, recording a hard-fought 36-14 win against Bristol Bears at Clifton last time out.

It was a display that delighted Pellow post-match and the Cornishman is hoping for more of the same from his side, which will be headed up tonight by returning Scottish international Sam Skinner.

The 24-year-old has been out since September after sustaining a serious hamstring injury during Scotland Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture against France at BT Murrayfield.

Now fit, Skinner is hoping to get his campaign up and running at the earliest opportunity and he will be joined in the home ranks by winger Tom O’Flaherty, another who is making his first return since also picking up a hamstring injury in the Gallagher Premiership win over Wasps back in November.

The sight of both men taking to the field this evening is a welcome boost for the Devon club, who are looking to push forward on all fronts this season, according to skills coach Pellow.

“Over these next two or three weeks, there are some really exciting games for this group of players to get stuck into,” said Pellow. “It’s not just in the Premiership, but we’ve got the Premiership Cup semi-final and this competition as well.

“Looking at the group, you can see there is a real buzz amongst them all. They have been training and played very well and now we’re looking for them to put in a solid performance this evening against what will be a tough London Irish side.

“They’ve picked up a couple of good wins in the competition and they’ll have a decent side come down here who will want to get a result. It will be tough, we know, but it’s down to our guys to stand up to that challenge.”

Season Ticket holders, 1905 Club, Gold Card, Junior Chiefs and Teen Chiefs members can all gain FREE entry to tonight’s game as part of their seasonal package. For all others, admission is £10 for adults and £5 for Under-16s/Students.

Paid parking is also available at Sandy Park on a first come, first served basis.

EXETER BRAVES SIDE TO FACE LONDON IRISH

15 Max Bodilly
14 Tom O'Flaherty
13 Tom Wyatt
12 Tom Hendrickson
11 James Short
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Sam Maunder
1 Billy Keast
2 Kyle Cooper
3 Matt Johnson
4 Will Witty
5 Tom Price
6 Sean Lonsdale
7 Richard Capstick
8 Sam Skinner (capt)

16 Jordon Poole
17 Danny Southworth
18 Will Norton
19 Stan South
20 Rus Tuima
21 Joe Snow
22 Sam Morley 
23 Arthur Relton