Chiefs tackle the Tigers

Last year’s finalists, Exeter Chiefs, will open their account at Welford Road where Leicester Tigers lie in wait. 

The 2020-21 campaign was a tumultuous one for the Tigers who experienced great upheaval within their ranks after a slew of players left the club as it crashed into financial difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. 

However, despite the significant loss of personnel, Tigers’ vice-captain Hanro Liebenberg believes their current depth will be one of their greatest assets this season. 

"The depth in our squad; it was something we were lacking last season," he said. "I think now there's so much good competition within the boys, it's hard to even pick a 23. That will definitely benefit us going down towards the end of the season. 

"We had such a good pre-season," he added. I am very excited, we have got some quality players and hopefully we can do the job with these players and the management we have." 

Despite their troubles last season, Leicester avoided finishing in the bottom half of the log – a decent effort, all things considered.  

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are currently dealing with a fairly lengthy list of injuries including Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg, who will not take part this weekend. 

“He [Hogg] has got a little bit of time still before he is game ready but he seems to be in a good place,” said Chiefs boss, Stuart Baxter. 

“I know from what the S&C guys are saying he is in a good condition physically. 

“It wouldn’t surprise me if we see him back relatively quickly playing again, that feels to me the kind of mindset he is in.” 

They are also missing some big names up front, notably, the back five. 

“It is a bit challenging but we have had challenges in areas of the pitch before and we have had to make changes and often those guys have come in and settled really well and got experience. 

“We have still got players in there with both Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup experience; Sean Lonsdale has run the line out for us in a lot of big games, Don Armand has played in a lot of big games of rugby, Jannes Kirsten has been great for us the last couple of years. 

“There is still plenty of experience there. 

“It is a big opportunity for Will Witty after a period of not playing an awful lot of rugby for us, the same for some of the guys coming through our academy and Rus Tuima. 

“There are plenty of good positive opportunities there as well and as time goes by it will increase the strength of our wider playing group as guys get games and other players come back. 

“Dave Ewers is running around and joining in some aspects of training now but with the thumb operation he had it is at the end stage when you have to be the most careful. 

“In the early stages it is in a cast and it just takes time to heal, then he has had physio to strengthen it but now at this end-stage he is starting to become more physical, scrummaging, lifting in the lineout and tackling and you have to work your way through that process carefully. 

“Jacques [Vermeulen] is not far off either. 

“He has had some time off now because he had his [hamstring] operation towards the end of last season so his most important rehab period was at the end of last season when most of the lads had their five weeks off. He was in all through that because that was the most important time for the rehab on his hamstring and he has now had a few weeks off and he is currently away. 

"When he comes back we will just have to get his training loading right to rebuild him back to playing level. 

"He is weeks away rather than months. 

“Jonny Gray is a little bit longer because he has had a more complex shoulder surgery. 

“They are all on different pathways, Sam Skinner is not too far off, his was a bit of tweak and a less serious injury so we are monitoring him week-by-week to make sure we get it right before we introduce him. 

“Richard Capstick had a slight injury strain going into the Munster game, he would have been involved in that one, but it is a minor strain and it is going to be weeks rather than months.” 

Exeter were defending champions last year and the favourites to snatch the title again, but were undone in the final by a rampant Harlequins team in what will have gone down as one of the greatest games of Premiership rugby history. 

While the bitterness of that defeat would have taken some time to shake off, there is no reason to believe that Exeter will not, again, be fiercely competitive. 

Leicester are due a positive result against Exeter after falling to them twice last season. In fact, the last time the Tigers tasted victory against the Chiefs was back during the 2017-2018 campaign. 

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