Chiefs Name Team for Premiership Opener

September 20, 2024
406
Ultimate Rugby

Exeter Chiefs lift the curtain on their 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season with a clash against Leicester Tigers on home soil.

Rob Baxter has named his side for the Round One fixture at Sandy Park with Scott Sio taking the matchday captain’s armband in the absence of the injured Dafydd Jenkins.

On the day he comes up against his former Wallabies coach, Scott Sio takes on the gameday captaincy for the Chiefs against Michael Cheika in charge of his first Leicester Tigers league game.

Dan Frost and Ehren Painter join the Aussie to round out the starting front row. Having started the latter two pre-season fixtures together, Rusi Tuima and Richard Capstick are named in the second row.

The back row is one packed full of power and aspiring talent as Ethan Roots and Ross Vintcent start on the flanks with Greg Fisilau completing the pack at number eight.

Niall Armstrong, have spent time on the sidelines last year due to injury, kicks off the new season with a starting berth alongside Harvey Skinner in the half-back pairing. Having found a new position in the midfield during pre-season, Ben Hammersley starts at outside centre with Joe Hawkins in the 12 shirt.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Olly Woodburn bring pace and intensity to the wings with Josh Hodge a threat to any attack from full back.

Speaking ahead of the season opener, Baxter said Chiefs are ready for a brutal battle.

“It’s always the same every year that the season comes around so quickly. It feels like the right time for us to be going for it now as there’s not much more pre-season we could do.

“Leicester are always big and abrasive, and I think Michael Cheika has said that is what he wants to rebuild – that kind of tough, gritty forward play that they’ve been renowned for for a number of years.

“We’re assuming they will bring a lot of that this weekend. It’s always a challenge around the contact area and in the physical department. We understand we’re going to have to have control of our possession a lot better than we did at the tail end of last season, and I think that is probably going to be key throughout the game.

“How we look after the ball and do the things we want to with the ball will give us the best in to how to win the game. What we do is just as key as worrying about Leicester.”

A powerful replacement front row lay in wait as club captain Jack Yeandle is joined by Will Goodrick-Clarke and Josh Iosefa-Scott. The remainder of the pack is then provided cover by Christ Tshiunza and Jack Dunne.

Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood and Paul Brown-Bampoe then bring youth and exuberance to the backs replacements as Brown-Bampoe could make his official club debut if brought on to the field.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Josh Hodge

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

13 Ben Hammersley

12 Joe Hawkins

11 Olly Woodburn

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Niall Armstrong

1 Scott Sio (c)

2 Dan Frost

3 Ehren Painter

4 Rusi Tuima