Exeter full-back Stuart Hogg passed fit for Sale clash

Two fixtures take place on Sunday in Round Four of the Champions Cup, with Exeter Chiefs and Clermont hosting Sale Sharks and Bath respectively.

Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks

Heading into the game against Sale Sharks, Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter is buoyed by the fact that summer signing Stuart Hogg has been passed fit for selection, despite coming off just moments after scoring his first-ever try for the club last weekend.

The Scotland and British & Irish Lions star was instrumental in Exeter’s opening two tries, with his searing break creating the opening for the penalty try before he turned on the afterburners to claim his own score.

Sadly, he withdrew from the action shortly after, but Baxter says the full-back has gone through all the return to play protocols this week and is fit and raring to go in a completely unchanged Chiefs match-day squad.

Meanwhile, Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond makes 10 changes to the starting line-up that lost out to Pool 2 leaders Exeter at the AJ Bell Stadium last weekend.

Sale opt for a complete change of front-row as Ross Harrison, Curtis Langdon and Jake Cooper-Woolley make up an all-English trio for the trip to Devon, with the only other change in the forwards being the inclusion of second-row Matt Postlethwaite alongside James Phillips at lock.

The back-row remains unchanged and includes England international Tom Curry at six, Ben Curry at seven and Jono Ross, who captains the side from number eight.

Will Cliff claims the number nine shirt and starts at half-back alongside USA international AJ MacGinty at fly-half.

In the backs, brothers Luke and Sam James start at inside and outside centre respectively for the second time this season after starring in the Sharks’ win over London Irish in Round 2 of the Premiership.

The pair have an abundance of experience outside them on the wings with international stars Denny Solomona and Byron McGuigan making up the back three alongside Cameron Redpath at full-back.

The teams:

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Ian Whitten, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Dave Dennis (c), 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Don Armand, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Olly Woodburn

Sale Sharks: 15 Cameron Redpath, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Luke James, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Jono Ross (c), 7 Ben Curry, 6 Tom Curry, 5 James Phillips, 4 Matthew Postlewhaite, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Ross Harrison
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Valery Morozov, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Bryn Evans, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Tom Curtis, 23 Marland Yarde

Venue: Sandy Park
Kick-off: 13:00 GMT
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant referees: Tual Trainini (France), Laurent Cordona (France)
TMO: Éric Briquet Campin (France)

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Clermont v Bath

Clermont Auvergne have made minimal changes to their side to take on Bath on Sunday.

Nick Abendanon is out, which means Isaia Toeava shifts to full-back and Damian Penaud comes in at centre.

The pack is also largely unaltered with the back five remaining the same, but they have opted for a completely new front-row with Davit Zirakashvili, John Ulugia and Giorgi Beria all starting.

For Bath, they make six changes to the squad for the Champions Cup trip to Clermont Auvergne at the Parc des Sport Marcel Michelin.

Freddie Burns, Max Wright and Aled Brew all return to the backline, whilst Lewis Boyce, Jack Walker and Christian Judge make up a new front-row partnership as the side search for a first win in the competition this season.

Ruaridh McConnochie swaps wings, with Brew coming in to replace Semesa Rokoduguni. Wright joins Jamie Roberts in midfield, who replaces Jonathan Joseph, and Burns makes his first start in the competition, coming in for Rhys Priestland at fly-half.

Boyce, Walker and Judge all come in to form a new front-row partnership, with Levi Douglas joining Elliot Stooke at lock. Tom Ellis comes in for Francois Louw and slots in at openside, as Josh Bayliss moves to number eight.

The teams:

Clermont: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Samuel Ezeala, 13 Damian Penaud, 12 George Moala, 11 Alivereti Raka, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Morgan Parra (c), 8 Fritz Lee, 7 Alexandre Lapandry, 6 Alexandre Fischer, 5 Sitaleki Timani, 4 Arthur Iturria, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 John Ulugia, 1 Giorgi Beria
Replacements: 16 Yohan Beheregaray, 17 Loni Uhila, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 George Merrick, 20 Faifili Levave, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 Jake McIntyre, 23 Apisai Naqalevu

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Ruaridh McConnochie, 13 Max Wright, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Josh Bayliss, 7 Tom Ellis (c), 6 Mike Williams, 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Levi Douglas, 3 Christian Judge, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Lewis Boyce
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Lucas Noguera, 18 Sam Nixon, 19 Josh McNally, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Ollie Fox, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Gabe Hamer-Webb

Venue: Stade Michel-Michelin
Kick-off: 16:15 local (15:15 GMT)
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wales)