Tongan star Fetu’u Vainikolo will be out to make his mark when Exeter Chiefs tackle Saracens in the Aviva Premiership tomorrow (3.15pm).
The 29-year-old winger is set to make only his second top flight start as he is one of two inclusions Rob Baxter has made to the Chiefs starting XV ahead of their trip to Allianz Park.
Vainikolo – who was signed last summer from Irish side Connacht – comes in for Tom James on the wing, whilst Henry Slade’s inclusion in the centre means Phil Dollman reverts to full-back at the expense of Luke Arscott.
The Bath hoodoo shows no sign of abating for Exeter Chiefs after they were once again undone by their Westcountry rivals in a hard-fought derby encounter at a packed Sandy Park.
Mike Ford’s high-flying outfit edged out their Devon counterparts thanks to tries from Ollie Devoto, Kyle Eastmond and Nick Abendanon, whilst Ford’s talented son, fly-half George Ford, weighed in with the remainder of their points as he converted all three scores, as well as adding two penalties.
For the Chiefs, it was yet more Aviva Premiership heartache as...
Exeter Chiefs can confirm that Saturday’s Aviva Premiership clash with visiting Bath Rugby is now an official sell-out. The final few tickets for the eagerly-anticipated game, which will kick-off at 3.15pm, were sold early on Monday morning and mean Sandy Park will play host to a crowd of 10,744. Exeter Rugby Club chief executive Tony Rowe OBE said: “We’re delighted to announce another sell-out crowd here at Sandy Park, games between ourselves and Bath are always great occasions and I’ve no doubt this will be no different. “The fact it’s a local derby – and that we still have yet to beat...
A bit like the battering the Westcountry has faced all week, it was only a matter of time before the defences of the Exeter Chiefs were finally breached.
With two minutes remaining at Sandy Park, Northampton Saints centre George Pisi crashed over for a crucial try – converted by Stephen Myler – to send the East Midlanders back to the summit of the Aviva Premiership.
Pisi’s late intervention brought yet more heartache for Devon’s finest as yet again they failed to finish off rivals ahead of them in the current standings....
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter believes the next month of the season will go a long way to determining just how his side will fare in the end of season shake-up in the Aviva Premiership.
After a month of European and domestic Cup action which has brought three successive victories for Devon's finest, the top flight returns in earnest tomorrow with the Chiefs ready to welcome high-flying Northampton Saints to Sandy Park (7pm).
It's the start of a crucial four-week block that sees the Chiefs play host to the Saints and Bath over the next fortnight, before they travel to...
Thomas Waldrom says he is “excited” by the challenge that lies ahead after he today sealed a move to the Exeter Chiefs from Aviva Premiership rivals Leicester Tigers.
The 30-year-old England international will join the Devon club from the start of next season after recently agreeing a three-year contract with the Chiefs.
Waldrom’s switch to the Westcountry will bring to an end a successful four-year stint at Welford Road for the powerful back-row forward. Not only has he won five caps for England during his time in the East Midlands, but he has also claimed a Premiership...
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has today confirmed that tight-head prop Hoani Tui is to leave the Aviva Premiership club at the end of the season.
The 29-year-old will join Lyon, the current leaders of Pro D2, on a two-year deal this summer after five seasons playing for the Chiefs in both the Championship and the Premiership.
Signed from Italian outfit Calvisano in 2010, the popular Kiwi forward has to date played 109 times for the Chiefs in all competitions, scoring six tries in the process.
A cornerstone of the Exeter pack since his arrival in Devon, Tui not...
Scoring your first try for your club is always a special mention, but Dave Lewis admitted his celebrations were somewhat curtailed by the fact Exeter Chiefs slipped to a last-gasp defeat at Aviva Premiership rivals London Wasps.
With just 70 seconds played at Adams Park on Sunday, the scrum-half spotted a gap in the home defensive line before scampering under the sticks to give his side a dream start.
The Chiefs built on that early score and by half-time were 13-3 to the good thanks to further kicks from fly-half Henry Slade, who himself was making his first-ever start in...
Exeter’s Henry Slade may well be one of English’s rugby gems of the future, but today it was the wise old man Andy Goode who proved the ‘King of Adams Park’ as he settled an enthralling Aviva Premiership encounter.
With the final kick of the game, the experienced No.10 dispatched a sublime 40-metre drop-goal to condemn Rob Baxter’s visiting Chiefs to a sixth league defeat of the season.
Mocked by the home faithful during a patchy first half from the former England international, Goode duly answered his critics in style after the...
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter is confident he will see a response from his side when they return to Aviva Premiership action this Sunday at London Wasps (3pm).
Just a week after going down 22-6 to Harlequins in Big Game 6 at a packed Twickenham Stadium, Devon's finest will again be hitting the road in pursuit of vital league points.
Last weekend's loss in the capital saw the Chiefs slip to sixth in the current standings, a place above this weekend's hosts who themselves warmed up for this encounter with a hard fought 17-12 success at Newcastle Falcons.
