Team news: Chiefs name side for Sandy Park sellout against Tigers

Exeter Chiefs host Leicester Tigers at a sold-out Sandy Park on Sunday afternoon as Chiefs look to finish 2025 on a high in round eight of the Gallagher PREM.

Chiefs took an influential bonus-point win over Saracens at the StoneX stadium pre-Christmas, cementing themselves in the second place slot in the league table with Bath Rugby ahead of them and Northampton Saints behind on points difference in third place.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “On the whole, I think we can be pretty pleased with how the whole game was formulated against Saracens. It’s what gave us the opportunity to win the game.

“This week, when you look at the England international quality Leicester have to be able to great some moments, it’s impressive. They’ve got genuine pace on the wings, a very good full-back and their scrum is currently the highest penalty winning scrum in the Prem, I think, so there’s some real challenges there for us.

“We’re going to have to be very good to nullify all of that and enforce our own game on them. We’re at that stage in the season though where you’re going to get big challenges, the top four is going to be fought for very hard now because there’s still a lot of clubs that won’t feel they’re too far off it with the league being so tight.”

Hooker Joseph Dweba returns to the starting line-up having been rested with a slight [what] strain picked up against Racing 92 in the EPCR Challenge Cup. Scott Sio also starts at loosehead prop with Bachuki Tchumbadze retaining the tighthead berth.

Dafydd Jenkins captains the side from the second row alongside Andrea Zambonin. Tom Hooper starts in the back-row with Ethan Roots and Greg Fisilau as the sole Wallabies player in the side following the news of Len Ikitau’s injury.

Fresh off scoring a try against Saracens on his return to Chiefs action, Stephen Varney links up with Harvey Skinner in the half-back spots. Will Rigg comes into the side to partner Henry Slade in the centres.

Having impressed out of position at the StoneX, Olly Woodburn is named at full-back for a second time with Campbell Ridl and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the wings.

Baxter added: “I’ve been really impressed with Leicester. Even when they’ve been playing in really tough situations, tough conditions, and against very good sides, they’re very dogged and they’re in the fight all the time.

“That’s probably the most important quality a team can have and I’d like to think that’s something that we look like we’ve got at the moment, or that we’ve improved upon at the start of this season.”

Club captain Jack Yeandle brings a wealth of experience to the bench, named in a replacement front row with Will Goodrick-Clarke and Jimmy Roots. Second row Rusi Tuima rotates back into the side as he and youngster Kane James round out the forwards contingent of the bench.

For the backs, Dan John returns to the line-up as he is named the 23rd man with Charlie Chapman and Will Haydon-Wood at 21 and 22.

The sell-out game kicks off at 15:00 in Devon, broadcast live on TNT Sports.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Olly Woodburn

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

13 Henry Slade

12 Will Rigg

11 Campbell Ridl

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Stephen Varney

1 Scott Sio

2 Joseph Dweba

3 Bachuki Tchumbadze

4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

5 Andrea Zambonin

6 Tom Hooper

7 Ethan Roots

8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Jack Yeandle

17 Will Goodrick-Clarke

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Rusi Tuima

20 Kane James

21 Charlie Chapman

22 Will Haydon-Wood

23 Dan John