TEAM NEWS Baxter challenges table-topping Chiefs

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Last Updated on Friday, 28 December 2018 08:26

Published on Friday, 28 December 2018 05:45

Rob Baxter has challenged his table-topping Exeter Chiefs side to back up last weekend’s Gallagher Premiership win over Saracens with an equally powerful showing at Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens tonight (1945ko).

Exeter’s 31-13 victory over the defending champions saw Chiefs soar to the summit and end Sarries superb 22-game unbeaten run.

The acid test will be how they back up that victory, tonight.

Baxter admits: "If we go to Northampton thinking we’ve beaten Saracens and we draw breath, then we’ll probably get beaten as that’s how it works in the Premiership. What we have to do is be willing to work as hard as we did against Saracens.

“What we need to do is go to Northampton with the right mindset because people soon forget about good performances if you don’t back them up. That’s the message we’ve been driving home this week and hopefully the guys will follow that through.”

Baxter tweaks his winning XV. England props Ben Moon and Harry Williams pack down alongside Tongan hooker Elvis Taione, while Mitch Lees comes into the second row in place of Dave Dennis.
Ollie Devoto gets the nod in the centre alongside Ian Whitten in the sole change to the back division.
Chiefs are boosted with the return to fitness of lock Jonny Hill and centre Henry Slade, who start among the replacements.

Chiefs starting 15 Joe Simmonds
14 Santiago Cordero
13 Ian Whitten
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Gareth Steenson (capt)
9 Jack Maunder

1 Ben Moon
2 Elvis Taione
3 Harry Williams
4 Mitch Lees
5 Sam Skinner
6 Sean Lonsdale
7 Don Armand
8 Matt Kvesic

Ready on the bench
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie
17 Alec Hepburn
18 Tomas Francis
19 Jonny Hill
20 Tom Lawday
21 Nic White
22 Henry Slade
23 Phil Dollman

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