Exeter Chiefs v Saracens preview

The games get no easier for Saracens as they bid to recover from the disappointing home defeat to Northampton with a tough trip to a Chiefs side who are second in the current table and have scored more points than anyone else, with 27 tries. In eight matches between the sides in the Premiership, Saracens have won six.

After a subdued eighth place finish last time around, the Devon side have recaptured the form which has made them one of the Aviva Premiership's dramatic success stories. They had gone close to promotion for a number of seasons, meaning that the club infrastructure was ready, unlike other promoted sides from the past such as Rotherham, West Hartlepool, and more recently London Welsh. Finishing runners up to Bristol in 2005, Northampton in 2008 and Leeds in 2009, and moving into Sandy Park in 2006, they took full advantage of the new play-off system in 2009/10 when they finished second, but overcame Bedford and Nottingham before beating Bristol in the two-leg final, in Rob Baxter's first season as coach, adding to his 14 years as a player ar Exeter. Tipped to struggle, given the form of promoted sides such as Worcester and Leeds in previous campaigns, a debut 22-10 home win over Gloucester set the tone for an eventual eighth place finish, as nine more wins were secured, with home successes against Newcastle, Leeds, Sale, Harlequins, Northampton and Wasps. There were three wins on the road, most notably a 23-9 win against Sarries at Vicarage Road in November, with Alex Goode collecting three penalties for the hosts, and the visitors tries coming from Ryan Davis and Brett Sturgess, and other successes at Newcastle and Sale. Saracens gained revenge in their first visit to Sandy Park, though, winning 33-12, as Chris Wyles, Rhys Gill and Noah Cato got their tries.

2011 / 2012 was to bring a continuation of Exeter's steady improvement, winning twelve matches, qualifying for the Heineken Cup and narrowly beaten to fourth spot by Northampton, after the Saints won in Devon in the penultimate game. In the first match of the campaign, they had won 30-28 at Leicester, and completed the double over the Tigers in February as part of a strong second half to the season which also saw a 28-27 win at Gloucester, Saracens, though, managed to get two victories against the Chiefs this time around. Owen Farrell, playing at 13, and Charlie Hodgson each scored a try in a 17-13 win, as Richard Baxter replied for the hosts. The return match was on the last day of the season, as Exeter needed to win and hope Northampton lost at home to Newcastle to take fourth place, but, in the event, neither happened, as Saracens served up a bonus point 40-22 win, after being 10-9 down at half time, thanks to tries from Goode, James Short, Gill and Hodgson.

In the following season, they just missed out on the play-offs again, winning twelve matches to take sixth spot and a second season in the Heineken Cup. Along the way, they collected a 14-12 home win over Sarries. Sireli Naqelevuki scored the only try for the hosts, as the visitors saw Farrell kick four penalties. The return match was the first Aviva Premiership contest at AllianzPark, in February 2013,  as Saracens triumphed 31-11 in front of 9997 (where did the other three go?). Mako Vunipola got two tries, alongside Hodgson and Matt Stevens in the bonus point win.

Just over a year ago, Sarries won 16-0 at Sandy Park, as replacement Ben Ransom got the only try of the match, whilst Exeter were beaten 23-10 on their second visit to NW4, thanks to Schalk Brits and James Johnston, after Ian Whitten had given the visitors a seventh minute lead. Chiefs finished the season in eighth.

On present form, the Devon side look poised to improve considerably on that this time around. Much of the steady improvement at the club has come through its continuity, not only in terms of coach Rob Baxter, but the playing squad too. Props Ben Moon and Brett Sturgess, as well as flanker James Scaysbrook and fly half Gareth Steenson all pre-date promotion to the top flight. Added to exciting young backs such as Henry Slade, Jack Nowell and Jack Arnott, there is a really strong settled core. However, that has not stopped the club making some impressive additions, most notably Leicester Tigers No.8 Thomas Waldrom, whose try scoring form had made him undoubtedly one of the signings of the summer, although may not feature in this match as he has been called into the England squad in place of the concussed Billy Vunipola. Glasgow Warriors and Scotland prop Moray Low, Bath lock Ryan Caldwell and Namibian full back Chysander Botha were the key close season additions.

On their day, Exeter combine committed defence with clinical flair in attack, as in their first ever win at Northampton. Their campaign started with a seven try 52-0 win at London Welsh, before they were edged out at home to Leicester and bounced back with a thrilling 25-22 win at Gloucester, rounding off September with a 36-13 home win over Harlequins. October saw them lose narrowly at Newcastle, but they roared back with a 44-24 home win over London Irish, ahead of that famous 24-18 win at Northampton. In the European Challenge Cup, they lost at Bayonne before a home win over Connacht, whilst, as holders of the LV Cup, which they claimed on home soil against Northampton, they began their defence with home wins over Gloucester and Bath.

In terms of this game, Saracens will need to start strongly, as the Chiefs will look to strike early, as they did in the last visit here. The hosts need to return to the variety of attacking plays seen in the Western Province game if they are to unlock the opposition defence, given the loss of Billy Vunipola, and in particular will hope to avoid Chris Ashton and David Strettle being as isolated as last week; with Exeter committed to a free-flowing game, there could be scope for some well-judged counter attacks for the visitors. Should a tight game ensue, Steenson has proved time and again that he can master tight games, and is a reliable kicker at this level. 

Possible Sides 

Exeter

15 Dollman; 14 Hughes, 13 Slade, 12 Whitten, 11 Jess; 10 Steenson, 9 Chudley; 1 Rimmer, 2 Cowan-Dickie,3 Francis; 4 Mumm (capt), 5 Welch; 6 Ewers, 7 Armand, 8 Horstmann.

Saracens

15 Ransom; 14 Ashton; 13 Tomkins 12 Wyles 11 Strettle 10 Hodgson; 9 De Kock; 1 Barrington; 2 George; 3 Johnston; 4 Hamiton 5 Hargreaves (capt)  6 Itoje 7 Fraser 8 Wray