Preview: Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons

Editor

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has been forced to make changes to his starting XV for Saturday's clash with Newcastle Falcons at Sandy Park.

Missing from a week ago will be centre pairing Henry Slade and Michele Campagnaro, who, along with tighthead prop Tomas Francis, are on Six duty with Englsnd, Italy and Wales. 

Fellow international Jack Nowell is also unavailable due to England commitments, while the Chiefs have been dealt an injury blow with the news that leading points-scorer Gareth Steenson also misses out after picking up a hamstring injury.

Steenson’s place in the starting XV is taken by youngster Joe Simmonds, who makes his first Premiership start, but he has plenty of experience outside of him with Ollie Devoto and Ian Whitten filling the centre positions.

Up front, Jack Yeandle returns to skipper the side at hooker having been forced to pull out at the last minute at Worcester due to illness, while the experienced Thomas Waldrom returns at number eight.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Falcons have made three changes.

Chris Harris replaces Juan Pablo Socino in the centres, the other two changes coming in the forward pack as Evan Olmstead and Scott Wilson slot in for Sean Robinson and Jon Welsh respectively.

As the Falcons head off in search of their first victory at Sandy Park, director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Exeter are a side who play a style of rugby which can hurt us if we get things wrong on the day.

“We know our attacking shape can work and we have shown it in recent games, but it’s the defensive side of the game where we need to show a greater concentration. Our attack has a good shape about it but that doesn’t always count if you’re not sufficiently switched on to the defensive elements of the game. That will be the focus at Exeter on Saturday.”

Form: Exeter Chiefs only defeat in their last ten first team matches was at Clermont-Auvergne in the European Champions Cup on 21 January whilst their most recent loss in the Premiership was in Round 7 at home to Bath. Newcastle Falcons have won three of their last four matches in all competitions and in the Premiership have tallied four try bonus points in the last six rounds. The Tynesiders have won twice on the road this season in the Premiership, at Gloucester in Round 4 and at Northampton in Round 9. The Chiefs' solitary defeat to the Falcons in their last eleven meetings since 2011 was at Kingston Park in the Premiership in October 2014 whilst the Falcons have never been victorious on Exeter soil in competitive rugby. 

The teams:

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 James Short, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Don Armand, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (c), 1 Ben Moon 
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Moray Low, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Stuart Townsend, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Sam Hill

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Dominic Waldouck, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Nili Latu, 7 Will Welch (c), 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Evan Olmstead, 4 Calum Green, 3 Scott Wilson, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Rob Vickers
Replacements: 16 Ben Sowrey, 17 Ben Harris, 18 David Wilson, 19 Glen Young, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Sam Egerton, 22 Mike Delany, 23 Fred Burdon

Date: Saturday, February 25
Venue: Franklin's Gardens
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace, Anthony Woodthorpe
TMO: Keith Lewis