Team news: Internationals back for Chiefs’ return to the Gallagher Prem

Five Exeter Chiefs internationals return to club colours as the squad head back into Gallagher PREM action against Sale Sharks at Sandy Park on Saturday afternoon.

Fresh from a second-place finish in the Rugby Europe Championship with Georgia, Bachuki Tchumbadze joins Guinness Six Nations returnees Dafydd Jenkins, Andrea Zambonin and Stephen Varney. There’s also an injury return for Wallabies’ back-rower Tom Hooper.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “It’s been nice to get the international lads back in this week, they’ve settled back in very well and we’ve had a couple of good, energetic training sessions. They’re all keen to play, which is always a good sign.”

Scott Sio recovers from a training injury to start in the front row with Jack Yeandle and Tchumbadze. While, fresh from a first Wales win in the Six Nations since 2023, Jenkins reestablishes his second-row partnership with Italian standout, Zambonin.

Following the news that Ethan Roots will likely miss the next four to six weeks with a calf injury, Hooper forms the back-row with Ross Vintcent and Greg Fisilau.

Scrum-half Varney returns to Chiefs colours alongside Harvey Skinner at fly-half. Will Rigg lines up with Henry Slade in the midfield this weekend as Olly Woodburn also returns to the line-up at full-back.

Having both been on fine form throughout earlier rounds of the league, Campbell Ridl and Paul Brown-Bampoe start of the left and right wing.

Baxter added: “If there’s ever a team that can show up and slap you if you’re in the wrong frame of mind, it’s Sale Sharks. We’ve known that in the past, so we’ve got to get a lot right this week.

“We certainly have to make sure that, at the very least, we try to set the intensity of the game in the first five minutes. First and foremost, we’ve got to get back up to PREM intensity and PREM speed, then go from there.”

Jimmy Roots returns to the side having recovered from an ear injury in the Prem Rugby Cup semi-final. The younger Roots brother joins Julian Heaven and Will Goodrick-Clarke in forming the replacement front row.

Impressive performances in the cup competition earns Finn Worley Brady a potential Gallagher Prem debut as he and Lewis Pearson are named to cover the second and back row.

Tom Cairns and Will Haydon-Wood rotate to the bench with the return of Dan John rounding out the match 23.

The game kicks off at 15:05 in Devon, live on TNT Sports. Match tickets are still available here or you can follow the game in our live match centre here.