Exeter Chiefs Make Minimal Changes to Face Gloucester Rugby
Exeter Chiefs have announced their team to travel to Kingsholm Stadium in Round 15 of the Gallagher Premiership against Gloucester Rugby on Sunday afternoon. According to the Exeter Chiefs website, the team has made minimal changes to the lineup that narrowly lost to league-leaders Bath Rugby last week.
The Chiefs will be looking to get the better of Gloucester, who also come into the encounter off the back of a defeat, to Saracens at the StoneX. As reported by the Exeter Chiefs, there are three changes to the starting line-up, two of which come in the forward pack. The front row remains intact, with Scott Sio, Jack Yeandle, and Marcus Street all starting. Rusi Tuima and match captain Dafydd Jenkins also retain their starting shirts in the second row.
In the back row, Ethan Roots returns from injury, as Ross Vintcent rotates into the starting line-up. With both men on the flanks, Greg Fisilau holds strong at number eight. The Exeter Chiefs website reports that Scrum half Niall Armstrong comes in to start in partnership with Harvey Skinner at fly half. The remainder of the backline remains unchanged, with Joe Hawkins and Henry Slade forming the centre pairing, and Paul Brown-Bampoe and Ben Hammersley on the wings, with Josh Hodge at fullback.
As quoted on the Exeter Chiefs website, Director of Rugby Rob Baxter expects a strong challenge from this weekend’s hosts: “I think the end of this season is a very important period for us in terms of how we grow and develop into next season. From this weekend’s game, I fully expect Gloucester to fly out the box and play the ball from all areas of the field. That’ll be one of the things they’ll have talked about this week, because they didn’t really get to play the way they wanted to play against Saracens. They’ll look at this game thinking, ‘whatever we do, let’s play like Gloucester against Exeter’. I would be very surprised if they change away from that game plan.”
The Exeter Chiefs website also reports that on the bench, Max Norey and Kwenzo Blose are joined by Josh Iosefa-Scott to form the replacement front row. Richard Capstick and Jacques Vermeulen provide cover for the back five. Stu Townsend returns to the matchday side, with Will Haydon-Wood and Will Rigg also named on the bench.
The Exeter Chiefs team to face Gloucester Rugby is as follows:
15 Josh Hodge
14 Ben Hammersley
13 Henry Slade
12 Joe Hawkins
11 Paul Brown-Bampoe
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Niall Armstrong
1 Scott Sio
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Marcus Street
4 Rusi Tuima
5 Dafydd Jenkins (c)
6 Ethan Roots
7 Ross Vintcent
8 Greg Fisilau
Replacements:
16 Max Norey
17 Kwenzo Blose
18 Josh Iosefa-Scott
19 Richard Capstick
20 Jacques Vermeulen
21 Stu Townsend
22 Will Haydon-Wood
23 Will Rigg
The Exeter Chiefs will be looking to secure a win against Gloucester Rugby on Sunday afternoon, and the team will be hoping to make a strong impression in the Gallagher Premiership. According to the Exeter Chiefs website, the match is expected to be a tough challenge for the team.
For more information and team news visit https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/team-news-chiefs-make-minimal-changes-to-face-gloucester.
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