Exeter will use the confidence gained from recent Aviva Premiership wins as the attacking springboard for Sunday's meeting with Northampton.
Having moved back into the top four - leapfrogging the Saints along the way - following last weekend's last-gasp victory over Worcester Warriors, the Chiefs know they are within touching distance of booking themselves a place in the end of season play-offs.
For that to happen, however, the Devon club must not only see off Jim Mallinder's outfit, but at the same time prevent their rivals from securing any kind of bonus point from their travels.
Currently the Chiefs - who last weekend secured Heineken Cup rugby for the first time in the club's history - lead the Saints by two points in the standings after the East Midlanders came unstuck on home soil to in-form Leicester Tigers.
Up against his former club, assistant coach Ali Hepher admits he is relishing this weekend's match-up and believes the Chiefs have what it takes to "kick on" and achieve even greater things this term
"We want to progress," he said.
"We feel we are in form; the guys are training well and it's an exciting opportunity for us to try and take. Securing Heineken Cup rugby for next season is fantastic, but let's kick on and see if we can do even better."
Team news for the Chiefs sees head coach Rob Baxter recall Kiwi centre Jason Shoemark back into the midfield alongside Bryan Rennie, so Phil Dollman reverts back to full-back and Luke Arscott is the man who makes way. On the bench, the sole change sees Welsh international Craig Mitchell return at the expense of former Saints favourite Chris Budgen.
Although Budgen misses out, another former Northampton man, Brett Sturgess, is included after making his 100th league appearance for the Chiefs last Saturday. That feat will be matched tomorrow by skipper Tom Hayes, whilst number eight Richard Baxter will be running out for his 350th league appearance in Exeter colours.
Meanwhile, Saints director of rugby Mallinder was full of praise for Exeter when naming his team for the Aviva Premiership Round 21 clash at Sandy Park.
The Saints and Chiefs go head-to-head in the race for fourth place in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table, and the end of season play-off place which comes with it, with Mallinder acknowledging that the home team will be full of confidence when the action gets underway on Sunday afternoon.
"Rob Baxter and his coaches have done very well to lead Exeter to be challenging for a play-off spot this season," Mallinder said this week.
"He has created plenty of team spirit in a squad that is prepared to play all the way to the final whistle, as they showed at Worcester last weekend.
"They have turned Sandy Park into something of a fortress in their two years in Aviva Premiership Rugby and are probably favourites for Sunday's game.
"However this means that the only pressure we are under is what we create for ourselves. We have trained well this week and there is plenty of determination to put right the wrongs of last Saturday afternoon. All the players have a point to prove and there is a positive mood ahead of our trip to Exeter.
"We know what the match means to the club and our supporters, and we will be putting in every effort to get the win that we all want."
Form: Exeter Chiefs have won six of their last seven matches in Aviva Premiership Rugby including four victories in a row, whilst victory over Saints would guarantee them a first ever semi-final spot. Northampton Saints have won just two of their last five away games in all competitions and must prevent the Chiefs winning this game if they are to keep their own hopes of a playoff spot alive. Exeter's only competitive victory over Northampton came in this equivalent fixture at Sandy Park last season.
The teams:
Exeter: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Bryan Rennie, 12 Jason Shoemark, 11 Matt Jess, 10 Ignacio Mieres, 9 Haydn Thomas, 8 Richard Baxter, 7 James Scaysbrook, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 James Hanks, 4 Tom Hayes (capt), 3 Hoani Tui, 2 Chris Whitehead, 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Neil Clark, 17 Brett Sturgess, 18 Chris Budgen, 19 Aly Muldowney, 20 Ben White, 21 Kevin Barrett, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Sireli Naqelevuki.
Northampton: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 George Pisi, 12 James Downey, 11 Paul Diggin, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson (capt), 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Phil Dowson, 6 James Craig, 5 Christian Day, 4 Mark Sorenson, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Andy Long, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Replacements: 16 Ross McMillan, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Teimana Harrison, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 Martin Roberts, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Tom May.
Date: Sunday, April 22
Kick-off: 14:00 BST
Venue: Sandy Park
Referee: Andrew Small
Assistant referees: Ashley Rowden, Paul Dix
Television match official: Geoff Warren
Comments
damo says...
Saints to win cos Myler is back in,Lamb is flair player and cant handle pressure Myler will run the game well i still say Saints England players in the back line are over rated for example Zebo is currently far better than Ashton in all aspects of the game
Posted 10:38 22nd April 2012
damo says...
Saints to win cos Myler is back in,Lamb is flair player and cant handle pressure Myler will run the game well i still say Saints England players in the back line are over rated for example Zebo is currently far better than Ashton in all aspects of the game
Posted 10:38 22nd April 2012
DropZone62 says...
c'mon exeter, love seeing a small team punch above their weight, plus not a fan of northhampton
Posted 00:06 22nd April 2012
Honestpom says...
@Jediboy, like you say hard one to call. No pressure on Exeter who have had a dream season regardless of tomorrows result but having come this far why settle for just HC qualification. Northampton have a few injuries and suspensions but are still a class act with a some major game winners in their side. If its tight going into the last 20 minutes i would have to go with Exeter, their bench has performed wonders in recent games players like Muldowney, Barrett and Naqelevuki making massive impacts. Northampton however are one of the few teams to have giving Exeter a good rugby lesson since they got to the top flight winning teir last encounter 33-3 so should have some confidence to carry into the game. Either way should be a cracker if maybe an arm wrestle at times. Hope the Chiefs win, being loctated in a rugby heartland and so well run on and off the field, an established Exeter premiership side in the coming years will be great for English rugby right up to and including the national team - much as the Saints have been for years.
Posted 22:45 21st April 2012
Jediboy says...
This is going to be a close one I think. But if I was a gambling man I'd go with the Chiefs.
I feel that the wheel has come off for Saints this season and they ve lost their way a bit. Exeter looking strong, whereas Saints looking pretty average, especially after the stuffing against Tigers last week, and the number of first team players missing doesn't help. But you never know and I hope I'm wrong.
Posted 11:24 21st April 2012