Fourth place Exeter Chiefs will host second place Bath Rugby at Sandy Park in round 15 of the Gallagher PREM on Sunday afternoon.
One week on from both teams’ exits from their European campaigns, all attention returns to the domestic league and securing their top four positions.
Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “We’re almost in four knockout games from now until the end of the season. Collecting points is still everything, as the likes of Bristol Bears and Saracens are closing in on the top four.
“The bigger the game, the more you have to focus on winning it rather than not losing it. That’s how I’d like us to play out the end of the season. I want us to look like we’re prepared to win our way into the top four. Those are the important mindset things we’ll need to get right.”
In a change to last weekend’s starting front row, Josh Iosefa-Scott returns to the matchday line-up at tighthead. He packs down with loosehead Scott Sio and hooker Max Norey.
Match captain Dafydd Jenkins partners Andrea Zambonin in the second row as the back-row of Tom Hooper, Christ Tshiunza and Ross Vintcent remains intact.
Stephen Varney and Harvey Skinner lead the charge from the half-back pairing while Henry Slade and Len Ikitau look to make an impact in the midfield.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso continues his return to play through the HIA protocols following last weekend’s match in Belfast, so he is replaced in the line-up by a returning Olly Woodburn. This enables Paul Brown-Bampoe and Campbell Ridl to take up their preferred positions on the wing.
Baxter added: “I think the recent form you’re seeing from Bath is all a result of the work and planning that Johann [van Graan] has put in from the start. It’s all around his development of the squad, getting some real depth in there but also an understanding shared across their wider group of how Bath play.
“They have a real focus on the things they do to put pressure on the opposition, how they move the ball, how they put pace into the game and how they set the tempo of the game. Those are all things I think they’ve done really well.
“They’re one of the markers you have to hold yourself against now in the PREM. We’ve got to make sure we stick with them and try to get a decent result at home.”
Bachuki Tchumbadze rotates to a berth on the bench alongside Joseph Dweba and fellow prop Ethan Burger. Rusi Tuima joins Finn Worley Brady, who makes his return to the line-up, to cover the back five of the scrum.
Having all featured last weekend, the backline is covered by Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood and Ben Hammersley.
The game kicks off at 15:30 in Devon, broadcast live on TNT Sports. Match tickets are still available here or you can follow the game in our live match centre here.
