Team news: Chiefs make minimal changes for seventh round of PREM Cup

One week on from scoring 59 points against Sale Sharks at home, Exeter Chiefs make a handful of line-up changes to take on Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate in round seven of the PREM Rugby Cup.

The game marks the fourth south-west encounter this season, of which Bristol edge the results with two wins to Chiefs’ one. This Saturday, Lewis Pearson again takes on the match captaincy while in the back-line, Zack Wimbush makes his first appearance since the first game of the season against Gloucester Rugby in round one of the cup.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “I thought the squad played really rather well last weekend. We got game-time into the wider squad, and it’ll be a similar squad that goes to Bristol this weekend, so we’re expecting them to play a bit better than they did last week since they’ve had more time together and hopefully that’ll allow us to create a really good performance.”

Having last week scored his first Chiefs try, loosehead prop Will Goodrick-Clarke joins tighthead Josh Iosefa-Scott in retaining their starting spots. Hooker Max Norey is promoted from the bench to complete the front row.

With three tries between them against Sale, Pearson is joined by Rusi Tuima in the second row.

After all putting in an 80-minute performance in round six, the back-row remains unchanged with Finn Worley Brady and Martin Moloney on the flanks, Richard Capstick the eightman.

Scrum-half Tom Cairns and fly-half Will Haydon-Wood spend a second week as the half-back duo while the returning Wimbush joins former Bristol man Harry Ascherl in the centres.

Dan John impressed off the bench with a try assist last weekend, so comes in to start on the wing with Campbell Ridl. The full-back shirt is claimed by Josh Hodge who returned to action last weekend, kicking seven from nine conversions.

Baxter added: “I’ve always taken the attitude that the competition isn’t dead til it’s dead, so the PREM Cup is still alive for us. We’ve got this trip followed by two home games, so there’s a lot still there for us to fight for and if we can get something out of this game, then those last rounds become really quite exciting for us.”

Chiefs Academy product Louie Gulley, who has impressed for Plymouth Albion with seven tries in three games, comes onto the bench at hooker. Khwezi Mona and Jimmy Roots are the prop options.

Another pair of promising youngsters in the Chiefs pathway, Oscar Beckerleg and Joe Bailey provide cover to the back five of the scrum.

Scrum-half Charlie Chapman returns to the matchday side with Ben Coen and Paul Brown-Bampoe, released from England A camp, named alongside him to complete the bench.

The game kicks off at 14:00 in Bristol with tickets available on the Bears’ website.