Pre-Season Fixtures confirmed

By Mark Stevens

31/5/17

Newly-crowned Aviva Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs will have an action-packed pre-season to look forward to when they return for the 2017/18 season.

Rob Baxter’s side, who lifted English rugby’s top prize at the weekend with a 23-20 victory over Wasps at Twickenham, will kick-off their pre-season with a friendly trip across the English Channel to face French Top 14 rivals ASM Clermont Auvergne on Friday, August 4 (UPDATE: This fixture is now cancelled).

They will continue their warm-up with a double header at Sandy Park on Saturday, August 19 when the whole squad will be tested in fixtures against Championship rivals Cornish Pirates and then Pro 12 counterparts, the Newport Gwent-Dragons.

After which Exeter’s final test ahead of the new season will then come when they head to the Welsh capital to face more Pro 12 opposition in the shape of Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park on Friday, August 25 (7:15pm).

As well as these fixtures, Sandy Park will also be playing host to Gareth Steenson’s Testimonial match on Saturday, August 12 when the Championship-winning team of 2010 will come together to tackle a Classic Lions XV, which will include a number of international stars from the past.

Further details on all these games, including kick-off times and - in the case of the Clermont game - venues will be confirmed in the near future.