Team news: Exeter College’s McIntosh to make Chiefs debut

Exeter Chiefs Academy full-back Will McIntosh has been named on the bench to make his first-team debut in Friday night’s PREM Rugby Cup match against Sale Sharks.

The round four fixture sees Chiefs travel to Manchester to take on the Sharks at CorpAcq Stadium. Sam Wolstenholme wears the captain’s armband for a second week while Joseph Dweba returns to the line-up for the first time since June’s Gallagher PREM final.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “Will has been one of the guys who has been continually getting very positive feedback from the academy coaches, which is then sent back to the senior coaching group here.

“Looking at the games he’s played and the bits of training he’s done here with us, he’s looked good. We felt it was the exact right time to test him. It’s a tough place to go for a debut but conditions look fair and he’s a confident young guy. He’s got great qualities and trained very well this week, so we’re looking forward to seeing how he goes.”

Joining Dweba in the front-row is the powerful prop duo of loosehead Will Goodrick-Clarke and tighthead Ehren Painter. The second-row pairing of Lewis Pearson and Oscar Beckerleg has been handed the keys to the set-piece.

Having impressed off the bench on debut last Saturday, André Goedhals has been promoted to the starting line-up. He joins the back-row on the blindside flank with openside Finn Worley Brady and newest Chiefs try-scorer, Carwyn Tuipulotu, at No 8.

Wolstenholme and Ben Coen occupy the nine and 10 shirts for a second consecutive week, backed up by a centre-field of Zack Wimbush and Nick Lilley.

There is rotation in the back three as Sam Harris returns to the starting line-up at full-back having scored off the bench at Sandy Park in the last round. He is joined by Paul Brown-Bampoe and Charlie Poynton on the wings.

Baxter added: “It’s always difficult in the PREM Cup to know what to expect, and I think that’s what changes games so much. For example, you don’t know who will be coming up against your lineout calls or against your attacking and defensive sets, so it’s important that we focus on ourselves.”

Hooker Max Norey returns to the match 23 on the bench. He joins props Archie McArthur and Jimmy Roots in the replacement front-row. Joe Bailey and Obinna Nkwocha both possess the ability to cover the second and back-row.

Scrum-half Tom Cairns waits on the bench to make his first appearance of the season. Ollie Batson retains his number 22 shirt from last weekend while Will McIntosh prepares to pull on a Chiefs shirt for the very first time. The young full-back is one of four Chiefs Academy players who spent the summer on tour with England U18s.

The game kicks off at 19:45 in Manchester. You can follow the action in our match centre here.