Marcus Smithr returns for Harlequins, Dombrandt sidelined

England and British and Irish Lions fly-half Marcus Smith returns to start for Harlequins this weekend in what will be his first match of the season.

Smith slots straight into the starting XV while fellow England international Danny Care is named on the bench.


Smith and Care's fellow summer tourist Jack Walker will lead the side in his first start of the season as the team travels to Sandy Park, joined in the front row by Wilco Louw following injury to Will Collier last Saturday.

Alex Dombrandt is also ruled out through injury with Archie White coming in at no.8 in his place.

Santiago Garcia Botta and Matas Jurevicius will make their first Premiership appearances of the season, while wing Nick David returns to fitness to don the 23 jersey.

Each club won its respective home game when the two teams met last season, whilst Harlequins' only victory at Sandy Park since 2014 was in the Premiership Rugby Cup in February 2020.

Harlequins Scrum and Transition Coach Adam Jones said: “There’s always lessons you take away from a defeat and we’ve had a pretty good review of last weekend’s game. There are things we can do better and we’re looking to head down to Exeter this week with those learnings and have a good crack at Exeter.

“Last season aside, Exeter have been an incredibly consistent team over the last five or six years and have always been in and around the final. Going away to Sandy Park, you know if you have a team that can stick up well against them you’ve got a pretty good side, so this is a great match for us following the Saracens game.

“We’re going down there to have a good crack at them.”

Harlequins Starting XV

1. Joe Marler

2. Jack Walker - Captain

3. Wilco Louw

4. George Hammond

5. Irne Herbst

6. Jack Kenningham

7. Will Evans

8. Archie White

9. Lewis Gjaltema

10. Marcus Smith

11. Cadan Murley

12. Lennox Anyanwu

13. Luke Northmore

14. Joe Marchant

15. Tyrone Green

Impact Players

16. George Head

17. Santiago Garcia Botta

18. Simon Kerrod

19. Dino Lamb

20. Matas Jurevicius

21. Danny Care

22. Tommy Allan

23. Nick David