Bristol v Exeter

[Epaminondas Pules]

Exeter Chiefs:
15 Dan John
14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
13 Henry Slade
12 Ben Hammersley
11 Paul Brown-Bampoe
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Stephen Varney
1 Will Goodrick-Clarke
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Josh Iosefa-Scott
4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)
5 Andrea Zambonin
6 Ethan Roots
7 Greg Fisilau
8 Ross Vintcent

Replacements:
16 Julian Heaven
17 Ethan Burger
18 Bachuki Tchumbadze
19 Rusi Tuima
20 Lewis Pearson
21 Kane James
22 Charlie Chapman
23 Nick Lilley

[Epaminondas Pules]

Bristol Bears team to face Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate in round three of the Gallagher PREM on Saturday (3pm KO, live on Discovery+):

15. Benjamin Elizalde (18 apps), 14. Josh Carrington (4 apps), 13. Jack Bates (53 apps), 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (53 apps), 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou (34 apps), 10. Tom Jordan (3 apps), 9. Kieran Marmion (55 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (61 apps), 2. Gabriel Oghre (46 apps), 3. George Kloska (68 apps), 4. Pedro Rubiolo (2 apps), 5. Joe Batley (78 apps), 6. Santiago Grondona (16 apps), 7. Fitz Harding (c) (100 apps), 8. Viliame Mata (20 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (136 apps), 17. Jake Woolmore (172 apps), 18. Lovejoy Chawatama (9 apps), 19. James Dun (55 apps), 20. Joe Owen (39 apps), 21. Oscar Lennon (12 apps), 22. Sam Worsley (19 apps), 23. Max Pepper (3 apps).

Unavailable: Will Capon, Max Lahiff, Will Ramply, George Taylor, Steven Luatua, Harry Randall, Sam Wolstenholme, AJ MacGinty, James Williams, Toby Baker, Joe Jenkins, Gabriel Ibitoye, Louis Rees-Zammit, Noah Heward, Rich Lane.

[twitchy]

LRZ out for a while. Ikitau is in devon but didn't make the squad.

[FKAS]

Ben Hammersley at 12, damn Baxter is going hard on that selection isn't he.

[Mikey Brown]

Has anyone checked on Oakboy? This has been up for hours and no comment about how average Harvey Skinner is.

[Oakboy]

Has anyone checked on Oakboy? This has been up for hours and no comment about how average Harvey Skinner is.

I'm fine. Thanks for the concern. I will watch this game rather than the Midlands derby - it would have been that one if Pollock was starting of course (or even if Freeman was at 13). IFW is too exciting to miss, assuming he gets enough ball.

[fivepointer]

Bristol have a few back, which is timely given their injuries.

IFW looks in great shape. He's not that big but has power to burn.

[Puja]

Has anyone checked on Oakboy? This has been up for hours and no comment about how average Harvey Skinner is.

Watched the highlights and was amused that the first Exe try came from a good break by Skinner.

Ben Hammersley at 12, damn Baxter is going hard on that selection isn't he.

And the second scored by Hammersley after a lovely break.

They still lost though, which is really the main thing.

Puja

[Oakboy]

Has anyone checked on Oakboy? This has been up for hours and no comment about how average Harvey Skinner is.

Watched the highlights and was amused that the first Exe try came from a good break by Skinner.

Ben Hammersley at 12, damn Baxter is going hard on that selection isn't he.

And the second scored by Hammersley after a lovely break.

They still lost though, which is really the main thing.

Puja

Oddly enough, I thought Skinner played quite well. Did the highlights show the disallowed try when Varney ignored the referee's instruction to 'play it' (from a maul) three times? Varney seems to be adding something good to Exeter but that must rank as one of the dumbest efforts ever.

Exeter should have won the game comfortably but were badly served by their pack failing to get over the line from close in time after time in a 20 minute period after HT. Bristol's first-up defence in that period was exceptional. However, a more savvy Exeter half back pairing would have at least tried moving the ball after the battering ram kept being rebuffed. I'd imagine their two wingers were less than impressed.

[FKAS]

Ben Hammersley at 12, damn Baxter is going hard on that selection isn't he.

And the second scored by Hammersley after a lovely break.

They still lost though, which is really the main thing.

Puja

See I quite like Hammersley as a player. Kind of handy squad man you want around your squad. Asking him to play the physical 12 role in the Chiefs backline has been the odd call for me. As he played a key part in a couple of Chiefs tries it's a bit like "well what do I know".

Similarly Skinner isn't a bad player it's just that he's backup 10 quality more than he is starting 10 quality.

[Oakboy]

Ben Hammersley at 12, damn Baxter is going hard on that selection isn't he.

And the second scored by Hammersley after a lovely break.

They still lost though, which is really the main thing.

Puja

See I quite like Hammersley as a player. Kind of handy squad man you want around your squad. Asking him to play the physical 12 role in the Chiefs backline has been the odd call for me. As he played a key part in a couple of Chiefs tries it's a bit like "well what do I know".

Similarly Skinner isn't a bad player it's just that he's backup 10 quality more than he is starting 10 quality.

At present, then, Exeter have quality at 11, 13 and 14. Presumably, their better 15s are injured. Is there scope for sufficient improvement at 9, 10, 12? I see a team about 3 or 4 short in backs and something similar in forwards. Building within budget could be a struggle.

[FKAS]

And the second scored by Hammersley after a lovely break.

They still lost though, which is really the main thing.

Puja

See I quite like Hammersley as a player. Kind of handy squad man you want around your squad. Asking him to play the physical 12 role in the Chiefs backline has been the odd call for me. As he played a key part in a couple of Chiefs tries it's a bit like "well what do I know".

Similarly Skinner isn't a bad player it's just that he's backup 10 quality more than he is starting 10 quality.

At present, then, Exeter have quality at 11, 13 and 14. Presumably, their better 15s are injured. Is there scope for sufficient improvement at 9, 10, 12? I see a team about 3 or 4 short in backs and something similar in forwards. Building within budget could be a struggle.

Yeah Hodge would be at 15 if not injured.

At 12 they've got some injuries. Will Rigg and Tua but Ikitau should be available shortly which will help.

Varney has improved on their previous 9s. 10 is an issue, perhaps they are banking on Coen coming good.