Exeter Chiefs v Bristol Bears

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Exeter Chiefs:

15 Olly Woodburn

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

13 Henry Slade

12 Will Haydon-Wood

11 Paul Brown-Bampoe

10 Harvey Skinner

9 Charlie Chapman


1 Scott Sio

2 Joseph Dweba

3 Bachuki Tchumbadze

4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)

5 Andrea Zambonin

6 Tom Hooper

7 Ethan Roots

8 Greg Fisilau


Replacements:

16 Jack Yeandle

17 Will Goodrick-Clarke

18 Jimmy Roots

19 Lewis Pearson

20 Richard Capstick

21 Tom Cairns

22 Ben Hammersley

23 Campbell Ridl



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:01:23:11:45:45 by Lowerwatha.

Apologies, in my haste to post picked the wrong Bristol post.

15. Louis Rees-Zammit (10 apps),
14. Noah Heward (35 apps),
13. Matias Moroni (6 apps),
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (63 apps),
11. Kalaveti Ravouvou (45 apps),
10. Tom Jordan (12 apps),
9. Harry Randall (153 apps);
1. Ellis Genge (70 apps),
2. Gabriel Oghre (56 apps),
3. George Kloska (75 apps),
4. Pedro Rubiolo (13 apps),
5. Joe Batley (88 apps),
6. Steven Luatua (156 apps),
7. Fitz Harding (c) (111 apps),
8. Viliame Mata (29 apps).

System players:

16. Harry Thacker (148 apps),
17. Max Lahiff (118 apps),
18. Jimmy Halliwell (20 apps),
19. Joe Owen (51 apps),
20. Santiago Grondona (25 apps),
21. Kieran Marmion (65 apps),
22. James Williams (65 apps),
23. Gabriel Ibitoye (61 apps).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:01:23:12:22:36 by Lowerwatha.

Match Officials

Referee: Karl Dickson

Assistant Referees: Sara Cox & Greg Macdonald

TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys

TV Coverage

Channel 450 TNT Sports 5 SD from 1445 to 1700

Channel 458 TNT Sports 5 HD from 1445 to 1700

Also available on Discovery +

Weather Forecast as at 1200 Friday

Light rain and a fresh breeze from the south south east

Temperature 9 degrees will feel like 6 degrees

High Chance of Precipitation

Thanks Lowerwatha



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:01:23:16:36:14 by Currychef.

A lot of front line names missing from the Bristol line up, including (thankfully) Ibitoye, J v Rensburg, Ravouvou and Genge. I’m hoping our lads will see it as payback time and put in a big shift. I shall go for my usual: Chiefs 31; Bristol 26

Chiefs 25- 30 Bears



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:01:23:11:58:22 by Boldeagle.

That is not the Bristol line up.

The actual Bristol team:

15. Louis Rees-Zammit (10 apps),
14. Noah Heward (35 apps),
13. Matias Moroni (6 apps),
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (63 apps),
11. Kalaveti Ravouvou (45 apps),
10. Tom Jordan (12 apps),
9. Harry Randall (153 apps);
1. Ellis Genge (70 apps),
2. Gabriel Oghre (56 apps),
3. George Kloska (75 apps),
4. Pedro Rubiolo (13 apps),
5. Joe Batley (88 apps),
6. Steven Luatua (156 apps),
7. Fitz Harding (c) (111 apps),
8. Viliame Mata (29 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (148 apps), 17. Max Lahiff (118 apps), 18. Jimmy Halliwell (20 apps), 19. Joe Owen (51 apps), 20. Santiago Grondona (25 apps), 21. Kieran Marmion (65 apps), 22. James Williams (65 apps), 23. Gabriel Ibitoye (61 apps).

Quote:

SixNineOne
A lot of front line names missing from the Bristol line up, including (thankfully) Ibitoye, J v Rensburg, Ravouvou and Genge. I’m hoping our lads will see it as payback time and put in a big shift. I shall go for my usual: Chiefs 31; Bristol 26

Having now checked the Bristol website it looks like they’re putting out a somewhat stronger team that originally suggested. Nevertheless, I think it’s still payback time, so I’ll stick with my original prediction: Chiefs 31; Bristol 26

Hope you go well against Bristol! Have always liked Exeter and I’m rooting for you to get top 4 this year. It’s good to see WHW regularly starting these days.

On Tuima, Rigg and Hodge are they all injured or out of favour? Or a mixture of both?

I think that we'll miss Varney. Im sure that rhe weather will damp things down, but there should still be a fair few tries. Hopefully a TBP anyway.

I think that it will be close. Chiefs 31 Bris 29

Chiefs 30 Bristol 25, let's lean towards optimism.

Weather looks like having a huge impact on style of play tomorrow with wet and windy conditions. I suppose down to who makes the least mistakes and likely to be a forward based game from us. Think our 12 channel will be targeted as playing without a recognised inside centre is a big risk both attack and particularly defence. If our forwards can play to recent levels we have a real chance, thought J O-S may have been back for the bench as he was warming up last week. Could go either way chiefs 24 Briz 21. Fingers crossed Dickson does not impact the game result and best team wins on the day. Like all teams our injury list keeps growing but just have to manage it as best we can.

Chiefs 26 Bristol 27

Chiefs 26 - 22 Bears

A very tough match to predict They have a very strong looking team and on paper I have them as favourites -- although the bookmakers do not. Like NM I think we will really miss Varney and I hope Chapman lasts the 80 minutes. Win this and I think we will be in the top four at the end of the season. Heart over head Chiefs 23 Bristol 20. Whoever concedes the fewest penalties and has the best tactical kicking likely to win.

Chiefs 27 - 24 Bears



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2026:01:24:10:32:52 by Chief Bert.

Chiefs 28 Bears 14

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

Chiefs 32 - 21 Bears

Hope we can put in an 80 minute shift this week. If we do and the wind isn't like today. Chiefs 35 Bears 27.

Chiefs 41 Bristol 17

Chiefs 27 Bears 20

Optimism rules okay:
Exeter 35 - 32 Bristol

I'm afraid I'm going to be Mr negative! I feel we would need our absolute A side out to beat an in form Briz. BVR running at WHW does not fill me with confidence. We will really miss Len in this game. The same with Varney, Chapman looks ok but Varney really has beef one of the most consistent players this year. I also feel they have the edge on the bench, to me our strength in depth is not yet good enough to really challenge.
I really hope I'm proved massively wrong and look like an idiot tomorrow but I'm going Chiefs 19 Briz 31

Chiefs 33 Bears 28

Going with heart (and the bookies) Chiefs 34 Bears 27.

Chiefs 28 - Bristol 24

While being very respectful of Bristol, especially with them being a bit of a bogey side for us recently,I am confident that the conditions will favour us.
I would be less confident in dry conditions but I can now have confidence in our scrum with could be the deciding factor either way today in the wet weather.
Hopefully our line out functions well as that would be my biggest concern 🤞

Chiefs 22 - 19 Bears

Chiefs 27 Bristol 23 but it’s going to be down to who handles the weather best.

Exe 27 - 22 Bristol but I could be wrong!

If the weather in Exeter is anything like it is here, I don't see a particularly high scoring game but I think it gives Chiefs a bit of an advantage

Chiefs 22 Bears 15

Surprised we haven’t gone 6-2 on the bench for this weather. Looks like it will be a game for the pack.

Hands up!

Im not sure how much further wrong I could be in my prediction.

And I shan't be watching the highlights!

Quote:

Not Manichean
Hands up!
Im not sure how much further wrong I could be in my prediction.

And I shan't be watching the highlights!

There are no highlights

Quote:

Midlands_chief

Quote:

Not Manichean
Hands up!
Im not sure how much further wrong I could be in my prediction.

And I shan't be watching the highlights!

There are no highlights

The only highlights in my opinion would have involved Fisilau, who for my money, was our MOTM (sic) and made meters with each carry.

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