Team News: Chiefs Named for Pre-Season Double Header

Exeter Chiefs have named two extended sides to face RFU Championship sides London Scottish and Cornish Pirates in a pre-season double header day at Sandy Park this Saturday.

Rob Baxter has named two varied starting line-ups with a total of 47 players to be involved as Chiefs kick-off their run of 2024/25 pre-season games.

Against London Scottish [KO 14:00], it’s a strong front row of the game’s captain Scott Sio, hooker Max Norey and Josh Iosefa-Scott returning to the tighthead prop berth.

Back from England’s recent World Rugby U20 Championship win, Joe Bailey packs down with Lewis Pearson in the second row. Bailey’s age-grade teammate Kane James then starts at number eight with Richard Capstick and Martin Maloney – currently on trial from Leinster – on the flanks.

At scrum half, it is the long-awaited return of Sam Maunder to the line-up as he starts alongside Will Haydon-Wood at fly half. Ben Hammersley moves into centre field to partner Joe Hawkins and to make space for Chiefs Academy’s Kian Gentry and Campbell Ridl on the wings. Josh Hodge is then ready for running rugby at full-back.

The bench is a mixture of experience and youth as Jack Yeandle leads the forward replacements with Billy Keast. New signing Jimmy Roots will get his first Chiefs run-out as will a number of Academy players – Oscar Beckerleg, Jack Forsythe, Josh Mann and England U20 Louie Gulley.

In the backs replacements, England U20s’ starting fly-half Ben Coen is named alongside Tom Cairns, Nick Lilley and Noah Fenton.

When the whistle goes for another kick-off at 16:00, Cornish Pirates will come up against an experienced Premiership front row of new signing Will Goodrick-Clarke, Dan Frost and Ehren Painter.

Finn Worley-Brady is the lone Chiefs Academy forward on the blindside flank as Jack Dunne and Rusi Tuima form the second row with Greg Fisilau and the game’s captain Jacques Vermeulen rounding out the back row.

The familiar duo of Tom Cairns and Harvey Skinner start at scrum half and fly half with Paul Brown-Bampoe and Olly Woodburn looking to bring the pace on the wings. A new-look centre partnership is tested as Will Rigg starts with Zack Wimbush outside of him while Dan John is the last line of defence at full back.

On the bench, Jack Innard and Marcus Street bring over 100 Chiefs appearances between them while new signing Kwenzo Blose could also pack down with them. Eoin O’Connor is then alongside University of Exeter captain Lucas Dorrell as well as Mann and Gulley.

For the backs, Niall Armstrong is prepped for game-time while Coen, Lilley and Fenton are once more named to the bench.

Exeter Chiefs v London Scottish:

15 Josh Hodge

14 Campbell Ridl

13 Ben Hammersley

12 Joe Hawkins

11 Kian Gentry

10 Will Haydon-Wood

9 Sam Maunder

1 Scott Sio (c)

2 Max Norey

3 Josh Iosefa-Scott

4 Joe Bailey

5 Lewis Pearson

6 Richard Capstick

7 Martin Moloney

8 Kane James

Replacements:

16 Jack Yeandle

17 Billy Keast

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Oscar Beckerleg

20 Jack Forsythe

21 Tom Cairns

22 Ben Coen

23 Nick Lilley

24 Noah Fenton

17 Josh Mann

20 Louie Gulley

Exeter Chiefs v Cornish Pirates:

15 Dan John

14 Paul Brown-Bampoe

13 Zack Wimbush

12 Will Rigg

11 Olly Woodburn

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Tom Cairns

1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

2 Dan Frost

3 Ehren Painter

4 Jack Dunne

5 Rusi Tuima

6 Finn Worley-Brady

7 Jacques Vermeulen (c)

8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Jack Innard

17 Kwenzo Blose

18 Marcus Street

19 Eoin O’Connor

20 Lucas Dorrell

21 Niall Armstrong

22 Ben Coen

23 Nick Lilley

17 Josh Mann

19 Louie Gulley

21 Noah Fenton