Photo: Courtesy of Exeter Rugby Club / Pinnacle Photo Agency

Chiefs to play Leicester Tigers

Exeter Chiefs will face Leicester Tigers tomorrow at 5pm in a sold-out match at Sandy Park.

Head coach Rob Baxter expects his side to fight "tooth and nail" in their bid to get among the front-runners in this season's Aviva Premiership. Back to back wins over London Welsh and reigning champions Harlequins have propelled the Chiefs back up the table ahead of tomorrow's visit.

Baxter wants his team to build on those two successes against English rugby's most successful club side, who will be looking to complete a league double over their Devon hosts and maintain their play-off aspirations.

"We are at that stage of the season where we have to make it about us and what we want to achieve," said Baxter.

"We know we are not in danger of relegation, but we are in a group who can push on and achieve things. Whether that's fighting to get into the top four or fighting to get into the Heineken Cup, things are still attainable to us right now. And if they are attainable, I expect us to fight tooth and nail to get them.

"We are fully aware it's an important game for Leicester, but equally it's a very important game for Exeter. It's a game where we can go after and achieve things and I hope we are excited about that. We know Leicester are a very good side and they are very consistent in where they end up each season."

Baxter added: "If there is anything that has let us down this season, it is probably that we have been a bit inconsistent. We've gone from beating the likes of Harlequins and Saracens at home, but then letting the game slip away from us up at Sale and again here at home to Bath.

"That said, we will fight to keep going and understand what was good about the London Welsh and Harlequins performances and make sure we keep working to keep those qualities again this weekend and beyond."

The Chiefs have not played for two Saturdays, a break that has allowed Baxter to give his players a well-deserved week off. Even better, some of the players with long-term injuries have now fully recovered and are fit for duty to finish the season.

Prop Brett Sturgess (arm) and Chris Whitehead (neck) both return to the bench alongside Craig Mitchell and James Hanks tomorrow; whilst in the starting XV there are recalls for prop Hoani Tui and lock Dean Mumm, both of whom missed out on the recent win at the Twickenham Stoop.

Joining Sturgess on the bench - for the first time in the Premiership - will be England Under-20s starlet Henry Slade, whose impressive displays in the recent Six Nations tournament have not gone unnoticed by Baxter.

The Exeter leader, who has already blooded Jack Nowell in the top flight this season, has been quick to praise the displays of Nowell, Slade and fellow young guns Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Hill, Jack Arnott and Joel Conlon - and believes the talented group not only represent the future of the club, but also the fantastic work that is going on within the club's academy system.

However, whilst the Chiefs have potential England stars of the future, the Tigers currently have a wealth of full internationals at their disposal, many of whom are expected to line-up against the Chiefs at Sandy Park tomorrow.

Asked if this weekend was a good time to tackle the Tigers, Baxter merely replied: "I don't know if there is ever a good time to play Leicester. Is it a good time to play a side that is welcoming back six or seven internationals? Yes and no, I suppose. They are welcoming back some very good players, but they will have to be reintegrated back into the side.

"It doesn't worry me too much. What I do know is that whenever we play Leicester, we prepare as best we can because we know there is always a great challenge ahead. They are a side we have looked at closely ever since we came into the Premiership, simply because they have a lot of good qualities - and you want to align yourselves with good qualities within different teams.

“It will be a good test for us this weekend, but the playing group are fresh and excited and what we've always said to the guys is that you need to be excited and in good nick as that's is when most things in the course of the season are decided."

15 Luke Arscott

14 Jack Nowell

13 Sireli Naqelevuki

12 Phil Dollman

11 Matt Jess

10 Gareth Steenson

9 Haydn Thomas

1 Carl Rimmer

2 Jack Yeandle

3 Hoani Tui

4 Dean Mumm

5 Damian Welch