Team news: Baxter names Chiefs side for European clash at Sandy Park

Rob Baxter has made two changes to his starting line-up for Chiefs’ Round Two clash against Irish giants Munster at Sandy Park on Sunday, December 17.

The Chiefs Director of Rugby makes one change in the pack and one in the back line.

The front row remains intact with Scott Sio at loosehead, Ehren Painter at tighthead and Dan Frost in the middle of the pairing at hooker. Rusi Tuima once more partners captain Dafydd Jenkins in the boiler room.

Meanwhile, in the back row Lewis Pearson moves from the bench into the XV to start alongside Jacques Vermeulen and Greg Fisilau.

Tom Cairns starts at scrum half with Harvey Skinner backing him up at fly half. The blossoming centre partnership of Joe Hawkins and Henry Slade remains in place.

On the wing, Olly Woodburn is named to start having come off the bench early in Toulon last weekend following a failed HIA from Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Ben Hammersley – fresh from his European debut last weekend – runs the opposite wing with Tommy Wyatt comfortable at fullback.

Baxter was delighted to see his squad enjoying their heart-stopping final minute win on the journey back to Exeter from France last Saturday but attentions have now firmly turned to the combative challenge which Munster will pose in Devon this Sunday.

“Time will tell what the lads took away from last weekend’s win. In times like this, you’re always hoping groups learn very quickly but you never really know until you get further down the line.”

“What was nice was that, probably for the first real time this season in an away game, the lads will have felt and been able to see the benefits of when you dig in there and the game gets into the final quarter and the scores get back to where that one score could win it.”

“The win in Toulon has almost made this weekend’s game an even bigger of a one-off occassion. Munster are going to be frustrated and disappointed at not winning at home in round one, so that doubles things up.”

“You know in the first 20 minutes there’s going to be a lot of blood and thunder out there. That gives us the realisation that we’ve got to step up in that first quarter. We’ve got to get ready to go to war, really. And if we do that, then we give ourselves a chance.”

The replacement front row is unchanged as Max Norey, Nika Abuladze and Marcus Street are all named. With Pearson starting, Jack Dunne comes onto the bench alongside Ross Vintcent.

Experienced heads Stu Townsend, Ollie Devoto and Rory O’Loughlin are then named as cover for the backline.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Tommy Wyatt

14 Olly Woodburn

13 Henry Slade

12 Joe Hawkins

11 Ben Hammersley

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Tom Cairns

1 Scott Sio

2 Dan Frost

3 Ehren Painter

4 Rusi Tuima

5 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

6 Lewis Pearson

7 Jacques Vermeulen

8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Max Norey

17 Nika Abuladze

18 Marcus Street

19 Jack Dunne

20 Ross Vintcent

21 Stu Townsend

22 Ollie Devoto

23 Rory O’Loughlin