Final home outing for Townsend as Chiefs host Sale

Exeter Chiefs have named their matchday squad for the final round of the Gallagher Premiership season, with a Sandy Park showdown against Sale Sharks bringing the 2024/25 campaign to a close on Saturday afternoon.

While Exeter’s season ends with Round 18, Sale head to Devon with hopes of securing a top-four finish - and a play-off spot - still alive, making for what Director of Rugby Rob Baxter has called “quite the challenge.”

Club captain Jack Yeandle will lead the side from hooker in a front row that includes Kwenzo Blose and Josh Iosefa-Scott. Argentina international Franco Molina returns to partner Rusi Tuima in the engine room, while the back row remains unchanged with Jacques Vermeulen, Richard Capstick and Ethan Roots.

Saturday’s fixture marks the final appearance in Chiefs colours for long-serving scrum half Stu Townsend, while fly-half Harvey Skinner is set to earn his 100th club cap.

In the backs, Tamati Tua lines up alongside Henry Slade in midfield, with try threats Tommy Wyatt, Paul Brown-Bampoe and Josh Hodge completing the back three.

“This weekend should definitely be an exciting encounter,” said Baxter. “Sale know they need to win, and that makes it an interesting game for us and quite the challenge. It’s one we want to face full-on — we want to be competing in the top four at this stage in future seasons.”

Dan Frost will also make his final appearance for the club, named on a bench that includes Scott Sio, Jimmy Roots, and Christ Tshiunza, with a 6–2 forwards split.

Exeter Chiefs Starting XV:

15 Josh Hodge
14 Paul Brown-Bampoe
13 Henry Slade
12 Tamati Tua
11 Tommy Wyatt
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Stu Townsend

1 Kwenzo Blose
2 Jack Yeandle (c)
3 Josh Iosefa-Scott
4 Rusi Tuima
5 Franco Molina
6 Jacques Vermeulen
7 Richard Capstick
8 Ethan Roots

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost
17 Scott Sio
18 Jimmy Roots
19 Christ Tshiunza
20 Martin Moloney
21 Tom Cairns
22 Will Haydon-Wood
23 Ross Vintcent