Chiefs Name Side for Derby Weekend Re-Match

March 21, 2025
241
Ultimate Rugby

Exeter Chiefs have named their side for the return to Gallagher Premiership action with a Derby Weekend re-match against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate.

Chiefs make a raft of changes a week on from their disappointment in the Premiership Rugby Cup Final against Bath Rugby at Sandy Park.

They field a completely new-look front row as Will Goodrick-Clarke starts at loosehead with Jimmy Roots at tighthead and Max Norey making his first league appearance of the season at hooker.

Dafydd Jenkins returns from Six Nations duty to partner fellow Welsh international Christ Tshiunza in the second row. With an injury to Ethan Roots last weekend, there is a shake-up in the back row as Martin Moloney and Richard Capstick start on the flanks with Greg Fisilau retaining his starting spot at number eight.

On the heels of his Chiefs debut in the Prem Cup, Ben Coen will now be handed his Premiership debut as he starts at fly half with Tom Cairns at scrum half.

England’s Henry Slade returns to line up in the centre with Will Rigg while Dan John returns to Premiership action at full-back. Josh Hodge and Paul Brown-Bampoe round out the back three on the wings.

Director of Rugby Rob Baxter has made clear his intentions that the Run-In to the end of the Premiership season will be one re-setting and reaching new targets for Chiefs.

“I’ve reminded the players that we shouldn’t be sitting here ‘woe is us’ because we lost the Final. We have to get better and put it behind us, of course, but we also need to remember we won our last Gallagher Premiership game.

“The simple goal for us to set now is why not try to be the most improved team in the league across this last block of games? We clearly need to get better, we need to improve and we’re setting pretty significantly goals in that regard.

“I’m expecting the players to really buy-in to training and playing a lot better as we look to improve as we move through the rest of the year. That’s what we have to do, we have to set ourselves achievable goals.

“We want to lay solid foundations for where we want to be going forward. That’s going to be our main priority.”

Jack Yeandle leads the front row replacements with props Scott Sio and Josh Iosefa-Scott. Lewis Pearson then sits alongside England U20s’ Kane James who prepares to make his Chiefs debut off the bench.

Niall Armstrong and Ben Hammersley return to the matchday 23 alongside Harvey Skinner who rounds out the back replacements.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Dan John

14 Paul Brown-Bampoe

13 Henry Slade

12 Will Rigg

11 Josh Hodge

10 Ben Coen

9 Tom Cairns

1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

2 Max Norey

3 Jimmy Roots