Exeter Chiefs’ Goodrick-Clarke suspended for Saracens clash

Exeter Chiefs prop Will Goodrick-Clarke has been handed a one-match suspension following a disciplinary hearing after an incident during the Investec Champions Cup Round 4 match against Ulster Rugby on 17 January.

Goodrick-Clarke was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Stuart Morgan-Scott, for stamping on Ulster's James McNabney in the 43rd minute, an action deemed to contravene Law 9.12, which prohibits players from stamping on opponents.

The independent Judicial Officer, Ben Rutherford, reviewed the case based on submitted papers and upheld the citing. He ruled that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions for stamping, typically carrying a sanction of two weeks.

However, considering Goodrick-Clarke’s timely acceptance of the charge, his exemplary disciplinary record, and full cooperation, Rutherford reduced the sanction by the maximum of 50%, resulting in a one-week suspension.

Goodrick-Clarke will be available for selection again on Monday, 27 January. Both the player and the EPCR retain the right to appeal the decision.

In other news, Exeter Chiefs will face Saracens at Sandy Park this Saturday at 5:30pm in Round 11 of the Gallagher Premiership, with both sides eager to secure crucial points following disappointing European results.

Rob Baxter, Director of Rugby, acknowledged the change in the rivalry between the two clubs but stressed the importance of focusing on securing points in the league rather than the historical competition between the sides.

"This weekend is a hugely important game for us… we need to collect Premiership points," said Baxter. "We’re at home, which is where our best performances have been."

Exeter's lineup sees Stu Townsend reach his 100th top-flight appearance as a Chief, with experienced players such as Scott Sio and Jack Innard also returning to the starting XV. The backline sees Will Haydon-Wood partnering with Townsend at half-back, while Tommy Wyatt takes the full-back position.

In the world of PWR, Exeter Chiefs Women have made several changes to their starting XV for their penultimate regular-season PWR home game against Sale Sharks Women on Sunday.

Assistant coach Steve Salvin highlighted the depth of the squad, noting that the quality of the team remains high despite a number of injuries. "It’s not like the quality of the team is massively different... we do need to share the workload," Salvin explained.

Several new faces will feature, including Lucy Nye, who earns her first Chiefs league start at scrum-half. Alexandra Tessier moves to full-back and will captain the side for the first time, while Taylor Perry returns to fly-half after a red card was dismissed.

Exeter Chiefs Women’s match against Sale Sharks Women will kick off at 12:00 on Sunday.