Team news: Chiefs travel north for Newcastle match-up

England U20s’ centre Nick Lilley returns to club action for Exeter Chiefs in their Gallagher PREM round 12 match against Newcastle Red Bulls on Friday evening.

Having impressed in the international age-grade squad recently, the game marks Lilley’s first appearance for Chiefs since coming off the bench in the 38-15 home win over Red Bulls in October.

Also included in the starting XV for Chiefs are Newcastle-bound duo Rusi Tuima and Will Rigg.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “It’s very tight at the top of the table and it’d be very easy to drop back out of the top four, so that’s what creates the pressure game by game. You either use that as a real positive to fight for everything or it becomes a negative.

“I like to talk about the positive that things are in our hands, so let’s make the most of it and play like we deserve to win games to stay in the top four.”

Club captain Jack Yeandle leads the squad out, packing down at hooker between Scott Sio and Jimmy Roots. Tuima lines up with Andrea Zambonin in the second row as Dafydd Jenkins is rested having missed only four minutes of the Guinness Six Nations tournament for Wales.

Having returned to action with a player of the match performance against Sale Sharks, Tom Hooper retains his spot in the back-row with Ross Vintcent and Greg Fisilau.

Scrum-half Stephen Varney and fly-half Harvey Skinner re-established their half-back synchronicity in round 11 when they set up the bonus point try, so both start in Newcastle.

Lilley partners Rigg in the midfield while the back three remains unchanged with Campbell Ridl and Paul Brown-Bampoe on the wings with Olly Woodburn at full-back.

Baxter added: “Kingston Park has always been a challenge. I don’t think we’ve ever gone up there and won what you’d call a ‘simple, regulation game’. I’m not expecting this week to be any different.

“We lost up there last year, so my expectation is that this is going to be tough, we’re going to have to work hard and make sure we stay composed.

“Newcastle have good players and, without doubt, if you give them something to fight for, they will fight to the end. It was a real tight result against Northampton Saints for them, and it showed they’re very comfortable playing and looking to score points.”

Ethan Burger and Bachuki Tchumbadze prop up the bench, while hooker Julian Heaven prepares for his first run out against the Red Bulls since moving to Devon last summer. One week on from his Gallagher PREM debut, Finn Worley Brady accompanies Lewis Pearson on the bench.

The replacement backs remain the same, with Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood and Dan John completing the matchday 23.

The game kicks off at 19:45 in Newcastle and is being broadcast on TNT Sports or you can follow the game in our live match centre here.