Chiefs make changes ahead of Harlequins clash

Exeter Chiefs have named their side to face Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop this Sunday in the penultimate round of the Gallagher Premiership.

Injuries to Scott Sio and Will Rigg have forced a reshuffle in the starting XV, with Kwenzo Blose taking over at loosehead and Tommy Wyatt returning on the wing.

Director of Rugby Rob Baxter has also brought Jack Yeandle and Josh Iosefa-Scott into the front row, while the remainder of the pack remains unchanged.

Following a five-point home win against Northampton Saints, Baxter is urging his side to focus on marginal gains heading into the final stretch of the season.

“We’re not trying to jump around into different things week-by-week,” he said. “When we’ve been playing at our best is when we’ve got some comfort in how we play, what we do, and we keep targets relatively simple.”

Baxter acknowledged frustration at unforced errors in last week’s win and said the squad had responded with honest discussions in training.

With Quins still in the hunt for a top-four finish and this match coming in the wake of Danny Care’s retirement announcement, Baxter is expecting an emotional atmosphere.

“I’m expecting this weekend to be an emotional occasion for Quins… especially after our last away performance, we want to see if we can arrive with a more focused state of mind and force more of our game onto the field.”

Exeter currently sit mid-table and will be looking to end their Premiership campaign on a high note.

Kick-off is at 3.05pm on Sunday.

Exeter Chiefs starting XV:

15 Josh Hodge
14 Tommy Wyatt
13 Henry Slade
12 Tamati Tua
11 Paul Brown-Bampoe
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Stu Townsend
1 Kwenzo Blose
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Josh Iosefa-Scott
4 Rusi Tuima
5 Dafydd Jenkins (captain)
6 Jacques Vermeulen
7 Richard Capstick
8 Ethan Roots

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost
17 Billy Keast
18 Marcus Street
19 Christ Tshiunza
20 Martin Moloney
21 Tom Cairns
22 Will Haydon-Wood
23 Nick Lilley