Bristol Bears vs Exeter Chiefs

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Exeter Chiefs

15 Stuart Hogg
14 Olly Woodburn
13 Henry Slade
12 Ian Whitten
11 Josh Hodge
10 Joe Simmonds
9 Sam Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Harry Williams
4 Jonny Gray
5 Sam Skinner
6 Dave Ewers
7 Jannes Kirsten
8 Jacques Vermeulen

Replacements
16 Jack Innard
17 James Kenny
18 Patrick Schickerling
19 Daffyd Jenkins
20 Santiago Grondona
21 Stu Townsend
22 Harvey Skinner
23 Tom Hendrickson

Bristol Bears team to play Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm):

15. Charles Piutau
14. Luke Morahan
13. Piers O’Conor
12. Alapati Leiua
11. Toby Fricker
10. Callum Sheedy
9. Harry Randall
1. Jake Woolmore
2. Harry Thacker
3. John Afoa
4. Dave Attwood
5. Joe Joyce
6. Chris Vui
7. Sam Jeffries
8. Steven Luatua (c)

Replacements
16. Bryan Byrne
17. Jono Benz-Salomon
18. Jake Armstrong
19. Fitz Harding
20. Dan Thomas
21. Andy Uren
22. Ioan Lloyd
23. Jack Bates

Match Officials

Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant Referees: Mike Hudson & Phil Watters
TMO: Tom Foley
Citing Officer: Duncan Bell

Weather Forecast
After a rainy day there will be Light cloud and a moderate breeze from the west south west at the start of the game.
Temperature will feel like 14 degrees
Low chance of rain

Television Coverage
Not on BT but available on PRTV cost £4.99

Bristol Bears only victory in their last six Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches was by the narrowest of margins, 29-28 at home to Gloucester on 22 April. The Bears home record in Premiership Rugby at Ashton Gate this season is won six, lost five.

Exeter Chiefs have won just one of their last four Gallagher Premiership Rugby fixtures: 42-22 at home to Bath on 2 April. The Chiefs have won just twice away from home in Premiership Rugby in 2022, 15-14 at Newcastle in Round 17 and 34-31 at Northampton in Round 18.

Exeter have lost only two of the nine previous meetings with Bristol in Premiership Rugby, both strangely at Sandy Park in 2019 and 2021. The Chiefs have won on all seven previous visits they have made to Ashton Gate against all opponents in all competitions.

One I'm sure we all would like to win. Does that make it a "must win"? OF COURSE IT DOES!!!!!!!!!!!!
On a more restrained note I will be very interested to see how Josh goes on the wing. Him, Hoggy and Woody make a quick, elusive trio.

Thats a very strong Bristol side. I hope we are up for it.

That Brizzle side can bring it. Brizzle 20 Chiefs 30.

Good to see Williams and Gray - not forgetting Big Dave - back. I think we have a good chance. Briz 14 Chiefs 21 ... But hopeful of 5 points.

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

Been awhile since we did this, fancy it could be a close one,

Bears 22 - 26 Chiefs

Is it next season already! Blimey that went quick! Seriously though that long without a game is ridiculous. It might just be me but I feel the season has lost momentum now, I'd think I'd feel the same if we were higher too. Who knows how up for it each team will be, therefore hard to predict. A wild stsb in the dark Bristol 29 Chiefs 30

Bristol 17 Chiefs 26.

We have more to play for.

Confident so Bristol 23 - 31 Exeter

Positivity abounds!! Even down here........
Mrs PC Chiefs 27 Briz 24
PC Chiefs 30 Briz 21
All the boys have to do now is win!!!

High scoring, Chiefs to sneak it with the last play of the match 38-37. (sadly I'm usually wrong)

Chiefs 28 - 21 Bears

BBC site says referee is Ian Tempest. I do hope they've got that wrong and there hasn't been a late change.

Chiefs 28 - 24 Bears

By all accounts, the last 2 weeks have been like pre-season training, the boys have been properly beasted, so, they are either going to be super fit or completely knackered !! Bristol away is always a tough fixture for us, but fingers crossed they all click.

On a different note, I was at David LLoyd briefly yesterday and I'm pretty sure I saw the team getting on to the team coach, given how tight the clubs finances are supposed to be, I was rather surprised they were heading off to presumably stay overnight somewhere near Bristol, surely they could have travelled first thing today ??? or is that just not the done thing these days !

Quote:

Osmium
BBC site says referee is Ian Tempest. I do hope they've got that wrong and there hasn't been a late change.

PLUS lots.........

Not at all sure we will win but must go for it. Bristol will lead at end of first half IMO and then hope we can turn it around Bristol 30 Chiefs 38. Interesting to see how Josh Hodge goes on the wing. Rob in his pre-match talk mentions seasons problems with availability of players. Forwards look pretty loaded - hope to see some improvement in our back play, tactics and game management.

Bristol 24 Chiefs 34

All depends if we have the slow start we sometime do after a break. We definitely have the firepower to win this, just make our tackles and Bri$tol may go into headless chicken mode they have a lot this season. But they are a very talented side. Brizz 17, Us 29

Both teams are well balanced so i am going for a draw 28.28.

Nearly forgot!
Bristol 20 - 28 Exe

As most of us predicted a win there are not a lot of changes in the positions. Only EX58 gained a point for nearly getting Chiefs score correct. One game to go so Mike is looking good to win our first season of predictions.
57 Points: Mike the Shirt
54 Points: Bold Eagle
50 Points: Clalan
49 Points: Osmium
48 Points: Cornwall Chief
46 Points: Mrs PC
45 Points: Ex 58
41 Points: Plympton Chief; ExTeddChief; DumnoniiNomad; Chief Firewater
39 Points: Curry Chief; Ouch That Hurts
37 Points: The Stoke Canon; Keithbar54
36 Points: Fisher; Big Chief Little Chief
30 Points: Thomas Hawk
22 Points: Last of the Beercans
21 Points: Scottish Chief
20 Points: Exeterfan
18 Points: Ljs399
16 Points: Alain le Chief
14 Points: Lapo
10 Points: Father Alice