Team News: Chiefs Name Side for Final Outing of 2024/25 Season

Exeter Chiefs have named their side to face Sale Sharks at Sandy Park in the final round of Gallagher Premiership action on Saturday afternoon.

The 2024/25 season comes to an end in Round 18 for Chiefs while their opposition could still clinch a play-off spot if results go their way.

In the Chiefs front row, club captain Jack Yeandle leads the side from hooker with Kwenzo Blose at loosehead and Josh Iosefa-Scott at tighthead.

Argentinian international Franco Molina returns to the match side to partner Rusi Tuima in the second row.

The back row remains unchanged from Chiefs’ last outing against Harlequins with Jacques Vermeulen and Richard Capstick on the flanks and Ethan Roots at number eight.

Stu Townsend makes his last start as a Chief at scrum half with Harvey Skinner becoming a club centurion in the number 10 shirt.

Tamati Tua lines up alongside Henry Slade in the centre while three of Chiefs’ top try scorers this season – Tommy Wyatt, Paul Brown-Bampoe and Josh Hodge – form the back three.

Director of Rugby Rob Baxter believes this will be a good chance to conduct a last assessment of what his key focuses need to be in pre-season for the 2025/26 season.

“This weekend should definitely be an exciting encounter. If you look at the top four, aside from Bath, it’s an exciting race and it makes it look like we’re on for an entertaining weekend.

“If we look at things from a Sale perspective, they know what they need to do is win because other results could happen that knock them out. So, that makes it an interesting game for us and quite the challenge.

“It is a challenge we would like to face full-on though because we have ambitions to be competing in the top four at this stage in the season in the future. So, it should be a good game for us to face.”

Dan Frost prepares to come onto the field for his last Chiefs appearance as he is named with Scott Sio and Jimmy Roots in the replacement front row. Christ Tshiunza, Martin Moloney and Ross Vintcent then cover the back five of the scrum.

Tom Cairns and Will Haydon-Wood provide cover for the backline in the 6-2 split bench.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Josh Hodge

14 Paul Brown-Bampoe

13 Henry Slade

12 Tamati Tua

11 Tommy Wyatt

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Stu Townsend

1 Kwenzo Blose

2 Jack Yeandle (c)

3 Josh Iosefa-Scott

4 Rusi Tuima

5 Franco Molina

6 Jacques Vermeulen

7 Richard Capstick

8 Ethan Roots

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost

17 Scott Sio

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Christ Tshiunza

20 Martin Moloney

21 Tom Cairns

22 Will Haydon-Wood

23 Ross Vintcent