Team News: Chiefs Name Team for Prem Cup Opener

Exeter Chiefs have named their side to travel to Mennaye Field on Friday evening to face Championship side Cornish Pirates in Round One of this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup.

The front row boasts a couple of players who are no stranger to the Championship as former Ealing prop Will Goodrick-Clarke and former Pirate Dan Frost start with Ehren Painter at tighthead.

Lewis Pearson makes his return from injury for the first time this season to form a familiar second row partnership with Rusi Tuima. While a hard-hitting back row is formed by Ethan Roots and match captain Jacques Vermeulen on the flanks with Greg Fisilau at number eight.

There are two youthful partnerships in the backline as Will Becconsall and Will Haydon-Wood combine as the half backs with Ben Hammersley coming into the starting line-up at outside centre and Will Rigg in the 12 shirt.

Tommy Wyatt makes his much-anticipated return from a serious injury sustained against Glasgow Warriors in January 2024 to start on the wing. Paul Brown-Bampoe and Josh Hodge retain their starting shirts from last weekend as Olly Woodburn faces a spell on the sidelines.

Director of Rugby Rob Baxter is looking to approach this competition with the goal of having a more rounded, competitive Chiefs squad emerge in late November.

“It’s probably good for us to be having a break from the Premiership. It gives us a little time to clear our heads, to get our heads up and breathe to take in exactly what’s going on. It’s also the opportunity to change a few things and work on them over a few weeks without them having to immediately be challenged in the league.

“We’ve got a few guys we need to bring back into the squad from injury. Those guys will start to feature as they are players that we think will be in and around our first team.

“I think we need to use this competition in a similar way to how we did at the start of last season where we had some continuity through it, worked on the things we needed to work on and came out of it feeling pretty good about ourselves.

“I think most of our squad are ready to play, they want to get on with things. Going down to Cornish Pirates on a Friday night at this time of year is not the worst experience for them – it’s a nice play to play rugby. It’s nice to get out in front of local based supporters of both teams and for me, I’m looking forward to it.”

On the bench, Jack Innard and Kwenzo Blose form the replacement front row alongside Jimmy Roots, who awaits his Chiefs debut having signed in the summer. EURFC and England U20s standout Joe Bailey provides cover for the second and back row with Martin Moloney.

Having made his return to action last weekend, Stu Townsend is named with Harvey Skinner and Joe Hawkins in the backs replacements.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Josh Hodge

14 Paul Brown-Bampoe

13 Ben Hammersley

12 Will Rigg

11 Tommy Wyatt

10 Will Haydon-Wood

9 Will Becconsall

1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

2 Dan Frost

3 Ehren Painter

4 Rusi Tuima

5 Lewis Pearson

6 Ethan Roots

7 Jacques Vermeulen (c)

8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Jack Innard

17 Kwenzo Blose

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Joe Bailey

20 Martin Moloney

21 Stu Townsend

22 Harvey Skinner

23 Joe Hawkins