RugbyRebels

Kick-off: 3pm

15 Jake Garside
14 Toby Cousins – Gallagher Premiership debut
13 Tom Seabrook
12 Tom Litchfield
11 Will Glister
10 Tom James
9 Jonny Weimann

1 Tom West
2 Henry Walker
3 Elliot Millar Mills
4 Ed Prowse
5 Chunya Munga
6 Tom Lockett (c)
7 Fyn Brown – Gallagher Premiership debut
8 Angus Scott-Young

Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Tarek Haffar
18 Luke Green
19 Callum Hunter-Hill
20 Reuben Logan – Gallagher Premiership debut
21 Archie Benson – Gallagher Premiership debut
22 Rafe Witheat – Gallagher Premiership debut
23 Ewan Baker – Gallagher Premiership debut

Not available for selection:
George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Iakopo Mapu, Archie McParland, Burger Odendaal, Tom Pearson, Toby Thame, Charlie Savala, Ollie Sleightholme, and Robbie Smith.

EXETER TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Josh Hodge, 14 Nick Lilley, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Paul Brown-Bampoe, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stu Townsend; 1 Scott Sio, 2 Jack Yeandle, 3 Marcus Street, 4 Rusi Tuima, 5 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Richard Capstick, 8 Ethan Roots.
Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Martin Moloney, 21 Tom Cairns, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Tamati Tua.

Witheat is a really exciting 18 year old due to make his debut for Saints! Much changed side!

Nick Lilley also in line for Prem debut for Exeter. Starting on the wing. Which is testament to the versatility of the kids coming through.

Resting our key players is a smart decision, though it'll be interesting to see what we do against Saracens. All good avoiding injuries, but form and match fitness are a thing and we've suffered after breaks in the season before.

Excited to see Garside in a bit of space from fullback. Glister impressed on his last showing, so hopefully he keeps that up.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 12:54 pm Resting our key players is a smart decision, though it'll be interesting to see what we do against Saracens. All good avoiding injuries, but form and match fitness are a thing and we've suffered after breaks in the season before.

Excited to see Garside in a bit of space from fullback. Glister impressed on his last showing, so hopefully he keeps that up.

Loved watching Garside as a scrum half coming through! Got bags of talent.

Yeah I've been surprised he's not pushed closer to the first team after he first started breaking through. Like you I thought he looked quality at 9, electric runner and he's really strong considering his size

yeah thanks Saints!! 4 of our loan players recalled!!!

Christ, Prem sides really doing their bit to deemphasise the quality of the league as a marketable and sellable product this weekend. That's two games out of five, where one side has openly declared that they don't care about it by resting their entire 1st XV and picking an entire team of 2nds/3rds/academy - I'm sure TNT are thrilled and will be noting this for contract renegotiation time.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 2:24 pm Christ, Prem sides really doing their bit to deemphasise the quality of the league as a marketable and sellable product this weekend. That's two games out of five, where one side has openly declared that they don't care about it by resting their entire 1st XV and picking an entire team of 2nds/3rds/academy - I'm sure TNT are thrilled and will be noting this for contract renegotiation time.

Puja

whilst simultaneously fckin over clubs who pay for the privilege of developing their young players....

What do you want Saints to do? There's literally nothing to play for in this competition, but a Champions Cup title on the line in 2 weeks. Not resting players for this would be insane.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 7:33 pm What do you want Saints to do? There's literally nothing to play for in this competition, but a Champions Cup title on the line in 2 weeks. Not resting players for this would be insane.

Yep. It's been happening since 2004.
Bath have earned the right to do whatever they like now. Bath and Saints both have bigger fish to fry.

If you want the Prem to go the wire, bring in rewards for finishing top (and by how much) and jeapardy for finishing last.
If you don't want that, don't complain when dead rubbers are treated like dead rubbers.

If the problem is having bigger to fry before the end of the Prem - leave those big fish until after the Prem has ended. Easy

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 7:33 pm What do you want Saints to do? There's literally nothing to play for in this competition, but a Champions Cup title on the line in 2 weeks. Not resting players for this would be insane.

There's a difference between resting key players and selecting a side so weak that it's got 6 debutants and only two from the first XXIII. I'm more irked with Bath doing it for a marquee marketing match, but Saints is a more egregiously weak selection.

Yes, I do get the motivation and why it's beneficial for Saints to do this, and it is a failure of the season structure that such a perverse incentive has occurred, but you see why it's not a great look when the broadcast deal is being renegotiated as we speak?

Puja

Lockett at blindside. Maybe he is a future England lock after all!

Puja wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 8:07 pm

Adam_P wrote: ↑Fri May 09, 2025 7:33 pm What do you want Saints to do? There's literally nothing to play for in this competition, but a Champions Cup title on the line in 2 weeks. Not resting players for this would be insane.

There's a difference between resting key players and selecting a side so weak that it's got 6 debutants and only two from the first XXIII. I'm more irked with Bath doing it for a marquee marketing match, but Saints is a more egregiously weak selection.

Yes, I do get the motivation and why it's beneficial for Saints to do this, and it is a failure of the season structure that such a perverse incentive has occurred, but you see why it's not a great look when the broadcast deal is being renegotiated as we speak?

Puja

Taking current squad availability into account, I think we'd be mad to risk: Langdon, Coles, Mayanvanua, Kemeny, Pollock, Augustus, Mitchell, Smith, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman and Ramm. Arguably Davison too.

I guess sacking hunter and hepher this late in the season has had zero impact as everyone knew- just Rowe wanting to make a big show.

Exeter just utterly dreadful- playing against a team of kids who have played without a ten for the entire match. Only Brown-Bampoe looking good- Slade utterly woeful.

Saints can take a lot from that. Weimann, Cousins, Glister, Brown, Prowse all went well. Lockett really stood up as a senior player.

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 4:53 pm I guess sacking hunter and hepher this late in the season has had zero impact as everyone knew- just Rowe wanting to make a big show.

Or it's been a handful of training sessions? It's going to take months to turn things around.

twitchy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:09 pm Or it's been a handful of training sessions? It's going to take months to turn things around.

Wasn't that Hunter's excuse?

twitchy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:09 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 4:53 pm I guess sacking hunter and hepher this late in the season has had zero impact as everyone knew- just Rowe wanting to make a big show.

Or it's been a handful of training sessions? It's going to take months to turn things around.

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:23 pm

twitchy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:09 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 4:53 pm I guess sacking hunter and hepher this late in the season has had zero impact as everyone knew- just Rowe wanting to make a big show.

Or it's been a handful of training sessions? It's going to take months to turn things around.

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 9:32 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:23 pm

twitchy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:09 pm

Or it's been a handful of training sessions? It's going to take months to turn things around.

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

Well they got suspended. I’ve never known or heard of anyone getting suspended when they want to leave. They would just resign?

I think Hepher still is suspended.

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 10:40 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 9:32 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:23 pm

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

Well they got suspended in a fit of pique, by their boss's boss. I’ve never known or heard of anyone getting suspended when they want to leave. They would just resign?

I think Hepher still is suspended.

FTFY

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 10:40 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 9:32 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:23 pm

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

Well they got suspended. I’ve never known or heard of anyone getting suspended when they want to leave. They would just resign?

I think Hepher still is suspended.

Didn't realise that.

Baxter is reported today as referring to mistakes made in pre-season preparation. Maybe, that was a factor in wanting to start the next one early. I can see both sides to this and there can be little room for sentiment in professional sport.

Plainly, the Exeter team and squad is not good enough. I'd guess that season ticket holders will support the changes but demand some quality signings.

My biggest beef with Baxter is that he appears to rate Skinner which is baffling.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 8:11 am

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 10:40 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 9:32 pm

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

Well they got suspended. I’ve never known or heard of anyone getting suspended when they want to leave. They would just resign?

I think Hepher still is suspended.

Didn't realise that.

Baxter is reported today as referring to mistakes made in pre-season preparation. Maybe, that was a factor in wanting to start the next one early. I can see both sides to this and there can be little room for sentiment in professional sport.

Plainly, the Exeter team and squad is not good enough. I'd guess that season ticket holders will support the changes but demand some quality signings.

My biggest beef with Baxter is that he appears to rate Skinner which is baffling.

Rumours they want Dan Lancaster in to replace Skinner for next season.

Rowe mentioned in his statement, breakdown in communication between staff and players didn't he? Perhaps there was some sort of bust up and Baxter has had to come back in to sooth things over.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 9:32 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:23 pm

twitchy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:09 pm

Or it's been a handful of training sessions? It's going to take months to turn things around.

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

I am given to understand that Hunter was fuming at the point at which it happened. No idea if he calmed down afterwards, but it was very definitely not amicable and mutual from what I heard.

Puja

Not impressed by Baxter's post win comments. Fume all you like behind the scenes but putting that out in public is poor management whether you're in a warehouse or professional sport. Has a whiff of Full Metal Jacket about it.

In other news, pleased for Nick Lilley who went pretty well in a non-favoured position. Took his try well, and largely defended well. Couple of mistakes, one of which was a wrong call for the knock-on. But pretty decent for a first Prem start. Ideally he'd have had some time in the Prem Cup, but Exeter decided to flog their squad instead of blooding youngsters.

Puja wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 8:24 am

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 9:32 pm

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sun May 11, 2025 5:23 pm

That’s my exact point. There was no reason or benefit in sacking them now- just grandstanding from Rowe. Two men who have done that much for Exeter should have been afforded the respect of seeing out the season.

Do you know that both did not want to go? Just asking.

I am given to understand that Hunter was fuming at the point at which it happened. No idea if he calmed down afterwards, but it was very definitely not amicable and mutual from what I heard.

Puja

He had every right to feel badly done to.

The club thought he was the right man to take over as HC and gave him precisely 4 games.

From snippets i've seen it sems that he was popular with the players and well regarded.