Exeter Chiefs v Saracens

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The match is being shown on ITV4 apparently.

Does anyone know whether the ITV money goes only to the clubs being televised, or does it go into a common pot to be shared by all?

I'd guess into a general pot. Itv and TNT have an agreement to show a number of games, Including the final on terrestrial TV at present and seeing as the chiefs game is probably has more history and a playoff place at stake it's was a serious contender. Hope we still sell out as this would look good for promoting rugby in the real South West(!). Sorry pirates fans.

Type 'All roads lead to Sandy park' into any search engine. It really sets up the game this weekend!
Done by the Tribe Talking podcast guys.
It's well worth a look.
COYC

Already excited and nervous in equal measures. Suspect we’ll have the same team as beat Tigers. Don’t really care about the Sarries lineup.

Chiefs 31 Sarries 20

Not waiting for the teams to be announced: Chiefs 33: Salarysins 22

In Rob we trust.
By the way - cream on first. There's nothing to debate.

Will anyone dare to predict a Sarries win?

Im going to assume that were largely unchanged and they go as strong as possible.

Chiefs 37 Sarries 29

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Olly Woodburn

14 Paul Brown-Bampoe

13 Henry Slade

12 Len Ikitau

11 Campbell Ridl

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Stephen Varney

1 Scott Sio

2 Max Norey

3 Josh Iosefa-Scott

4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

5 Andrea Zambonin

6 Tom Hooper

7 Christ Tshiunza

8 Ethan Roots

Replacements:

16 Joseph Dweba

17 Ethan Burger

18 Bachuki Tchumbadze

19 Rusi Tuima

20 Kane James

21 Tom Cairns

22 Zack Wimbush

23 Ben Hammersley

Saracens

1 Eroni Mawi
2 Jamie George
3 Marcus Street
4 Maro Itoje (c)
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Theo McFarland
7 Ben Earl
8 Tom Willis
9 Charlie Bracken
10 Fergus Burke
11 Rotimi Segun
12 Olly Hartley
13 Nick Tompkins
14 Tobias Elliott
15 Max Malins

Replacements:

16 Theo Dan
17 Rhys Carre
18 Marco Riccioni
19 Nick Isiekwe
20 Nathan Michelow
21 Ivan Van Zyl
22 Owen Farrell
23 Noah Caluori

Match Officials

Referee: Karl Dickson

ARs: Luke Pearce & Jamie Leahy

TMO: Andrew Jackson

No Manny and no Greg. 👀

We're going to miss the Fizz and the Fis.

Weather Forecast

Light rain showers and a moderate breeze from the south south west
Temperature 15 degrees
Precipitation is expected

TV Coverage

Channel 409 TNT Sports 2 SD 1445 – 1745
Channel 432 TNT Sports 3 HD 1445 – 1745
Also available on HBO MAX and ITV4

We will be up for this so:
Exeter 32 - 23 Saracens

Chiefs 28 - 35 Saracens

Quote:

Not Manichean
No Manny and no Greg. 👀
We're going to miss the Fizz and the Fis.

That was my immediate reaction NM, that's just made our task much harder!

Manny is due to have facial surgery. The poor guy really can't catch a break when it comes to injury. ☹

Great shame for Manni and Greg picking up injuries, I assume the former will now miss the England tour given surgery required. Clearly both will be a big loss tomorrow and of course makes our bench that much weaker.
I hope it’s a great game with little interference from the officials and the best team wins, I was very confident if we could have put out last weeks 23 but the injuries make it a close call. Not sure how Hammersley makes the bench ahead of Hayden Wood but let’s hope our back three don’t get injured!
Chiefs 32 Sarries 27

This is going to be a brutally hard match Both teams are going to be revved and with the wind whoever wins the arial battle will be a big factor. We need to keep on the right side of Dickson and keep a low penalty count. Do all that and even without Manny I think we might win but they have some serious big game players. Chiefs 32 Saracens 30.

Quote:

Not Manichean
No Manny and no Greg. 👀
We're going to miss the Fizz and the Fis.

Or Mani Magic!

I’m just hoping that home advantage will swing it in our favour.
Chiefs 31; Saracens 26

I hope we can find a way but of course losing the 2 Fs is absolutely huge for us so definitely tips the balance in Sarries favour.
Especially looking at the respective benches and likely impacts.

Rob did take a risk last week going full bore with our first choice 15 up at Leicester and although it was justified and rewarded with 5 points it has come at a price.

Whether we win or lose tomorrow or qualify/do not qualify,we have had a fantastic season and have been a joy to watch in the main.

Good luck lads

Im assuming both Manny and Greg are out for the season, not just tomorrow. The club website states they are being monitored to see if they can return play, but they need surgery which doesn't make a lot of sense to me! Both of those two posses a combination of pace and power, which not many players do! The loss of the pair of them is a terrible blow. They both have an ability to unlock defences',
Let's hope PBB has a good game.

Sarries have been consistent the last few weeks without looking amazing. I'm hoping home advantage and knowledge of the wind will be enough to see us through. I think the conditions mean it could be a tight low scoring game. I'm going Chiefs 24 Sarries 19. I'd hope that the last memory, from what has been a great season, is not Sarries celebrating on our pitch!

Chiefs 24 Sarries 22

Could go either way but you just have to keep the faith
Chiefs 27 - 24 Sarries

Got to keep the faith

Losing Greg after losing Ross V means a lot less pace in the back row but Christ is pacy and our second rows are v athletic which with some Roots and Hoops boshing isn’t a bad mix….. no one can do some of the things Manny does but the lads out there are pretty darned good - don’t play nervous , apply what the excellent coaching team have worked on and buckle up !!

And personally I’d love to see Hammers get on and contribute- yes he makes mistakes (doesn’t everyone) but he never shies away from responsibility or putting his body on the line and covers so many positions , could also do with Zack W making some big holes in tired defences…..and no more injuries please …..

Get on lads

Plus Kane James will want to push his international credentials …. Crack on !

Exe 24-18 Sorries But I have been wrong before!

Disappointing to see Manny and Greg out but good to see Kane back. I think Hammersley provides better cover across the backs than WHW. It's going to be hard game but hopefully we can come out on top. My random stab in the dark ................... Chiefs 27 Saracens 24

Back rows contrast in pace interesting. Have a bad feeling about this.
Chiefs 28 Sarries 31

It seems momentum is with Saracens, but home advantage is important.
For once using my standard metric of number of capped players in the starting 15 we are equal at 9 apiece. Saracens have the advantage of greater experience off the bench against our lots ( relative ) youth.
It would be great to win and take on Bath at the Rec in a semi, but equally I shan’t cry if we lose bearing in mind how far we have come this season.( Learning to win away from home again is so good. ) If we go out now the lads can nip off to the sun for some family time before reconvening for what I anticipate may be the toughest ever pre season.
Chiefs by 5.

Chiefs 38 Sarries 20

Feeling rather nervous about this one but have to show some faith this match above all others.
Chiefs 25 - 22 Sarries

Losing IFW is a huge blow for us, hopefully PBB has a strong game and shows Saracens what we know he's capable of.

Chiefs 28 Sarries 26

Chiefs 27 - Saracens 22

Manny's injury comes at the worst possible time. Going to lean towards optimism still though because Brown-Bampoe and Ridl are still a perfectly good combo.

Chiefs 25 Saracens 24?

Chiefs 27 Sarries 24

Chiefs 28 - Saracens 27

This is our cup final today what ever happens, we have a team capable and with the weather its in our hands , predicting a close game and a winning result. get behind these boys and drive them to the semi finals.

Chiefs 24 - 21 Sarries

beating Sarries would be a great way to finish a fantastic season.

We have to get Sarries players off their feet and laying on the ground. They still tackle high so that they stay on their feet and be first to the breakdown. Our ball carriers can not just flop to the ground, they have to take sarriers players down with them. we cant have 4 of our players down in a breakdown playing a game of 11 v 15

I just hope we don't wipe ourselves out winning today only to get massacred at the Gardens next week. Effort has to be proportionate to planning for three games not just "one at a time". If we've got 100% to spread over the three weeks I'd suggest it should be 20% this week 30% next week and 50% in the Final.

FWIW I think today is too close to call. Just hope it's settled on the pitch not via cards or injuries.

As a Bristol supporter I’ve never shouted so much for another team to win. Absolutely loving this game. Go CHIEFS

Quote:

happyH
As a Bristol supporter I’ve never shouted so much for another team to win. Absolutely loving this game. Go CHIEFS

Given your recent run of games, Bath aside (👍), I'm genuinely glad that Chiefs have been able to bring some cheer to you. Good luck for next season - apart from when we meet! 🙂

In Rob we trust.
By the way - cream on first. There's nothing to debate.