Chiefs name side to face Wasps at Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs put their unbeaten home record in the Aviva Premiership on the line tomorrow when they play host to London Wasps in the day's late kick-off (5.30pm).

Having seen off Sale Sharks, Saracens, Harlequins and Worcester Warriors at Sandy Park this term, Exeter's assistant coach Ali Hepher wants his side to at least replicate those displays against a much-improved Wasps line-up.

Whereas last season's Dai Young's side spent much of the campaign fighting relegation with Newcastle Falcons, this time round the Wycombe-based outfit appear to be much improved and last weekend's home victory over Leicester Tigers is testament to that fact.

With the top eight clubs in the table separated by just six points, the importance of making your home games count has not been lost on Hepher and the Chiefs in their preparations this week. Exeter go into the game in sixth spot with 24 points from their nine league outings to dare, whilst visitors Wasps are a further two places below them and just a point behind.

"It's another big game for us," admitted Hepher. "Right now it's an interesting season and there is not a lot to choose between many of the clubs. For us our home form has been fantastic - and that was something we highlighted from last season - but equally away form has not been so good.

"Hopefully last Sunday's win at London Irish has got that sorted and we can look to push forward. Right now we've got some good fixtures to go and attack and we know if we perform in those fixtures, we can push ourselves even further up the table."

For the Chiefs to succeed in their quest, Hepher says the team must stick to their "core basics" and "focus firmly on their own performance".

He added: "If we can get the little things right, then quite often the big picture will look after itself. Right now the boys are in a phase where we specifically want them to enjoy our rugby. I think we've seen that this week in the way they've trained because they have a good spring in their step. At the same time, though, we were not completely happy with the game at Irish. We started well, but we need to pick up that last 60 minutes. I think if we can back that up this week and finish the job, then as a squad we will be happy with that."

Buoyed by their first-ever win at the Madejski Stadium, the Chiefs see little reason to tinker with their winning formula and head coach Rob Baxter has named an unchanged 23 for tomorrow's match.

Reflecting on that success, Baxter said he was delighted to have laid those records to bed and hopes his side can climb the table and challenge the top four.

He said: "To get a couple of monkeys off our back, like our first away (league) win and our first win at the Madejski, is quite a big thing for us at this stage of the season. It was a very good day for us, especially considering how the other results went.

"We really targeted an away win because you can see from the way the table lies, it's the side that breaks the cycle of winning, losing, winning, losing that are going to start moving up the table. It's great to have got that win, we worked hard for it and focused on it for quite a long period of time."

Part of that victorious line-up was Cornish youngster Jack Nowell, who will get another chance on the right wing after impressing many on his Premiership debut a week ago.

Among those keen to see more of the 19-year-old back is Baxter, who said: "To be fair to Jack, he did very little wrong and he got an awful lot right. He had a very good start.

"He went out there, got after the game, got involved and did his pieces very well. I was very pleased with his performance, it was just what he needed to put in and just what we wanted from him."

Up against Nowell tomorrow will be one half of the Premiership's current deadliest finishers, Christian Wade. The England flyer, along with fellow wingman Tom Varndell, have bagged 13 tries between them in the league this season and pose the biggest threat to Exeter's unblemished home record in the top division.

Hepher is well aware of the threat the duo pose, but says the Chiefs can ill afford to concentrate all their attentions on just those two performers. He continued: "Those two players have scored a lot of tries, so they are a major threat. However, they also have a good set-piece; their line-out functions well and they are very physical, so there are not too many weaknesses in their side.

"What we have to do is make sure we approach the game in the right manner; we focus mainly on ourselves; and make sure we get the little details right. If we put in a performance and they match it and win, sometimes you just have to say fair play to them. Our focus, though, will be on our performance and making sure it's what we want from the guys."

Tickets for Saturday's game are still available either through the Trading Post, which is open 10am to 4pm, or online via the Exeter Chiefs website

15 Luke Arscott

14 Jack Nowell

13 Phil Dollman

12 Jason Shoemark

11 Matt Jess

10 Gareth Steenson

9 Haydn Thomas

1 Brett Sturgess

2 Chris Whitehead

3 Carl Rimmer

4 Tom Hayes (capt)