Aviva Premiership: Exeter chasing home tie in play-offs
Exeter have already cruised into this season's Aviva Premiership play-offs but head coach Ali Hepher wants to see the Chiefs remain "ultra-competitive."
Victory over visitors Sale Sharks on Saturday would see the reigning champions finish top heading into next month's play-offs, when they are guaranteed a home tie.
"Although we don't necessarily need the points on the table, if you look at it like that, the important thing is the guys remain ultra-competitive about keeping the jersey as they go through," Hepher said.
"They have to fight, they have to scrap, and their level of performance will be scrutinised and we have to see who is performing best when it comes to those semi-finals.
"It's the perfect test for us going into these last few weeks.
"Sale have been physical, aggressive and abrasive over the last few weeks, so we've got to make sure that we are on the front foot from the outset, play the style of rugby we want to play, and be nice and direct so that we capitalise on any space that we get."
Steve Diamond has no doubt that Sale will require victory in their quest for a top-six finish and automatic Champions Cup qualification.
Sale are currently seventh, two points behind Gloucester, with their final game being a home clash against Leicester next week.
"The reality is that we lost against Bath in the last minute and at Newcastle in the last minute," Diamond told www.salesharks.com.
"That has done us over in terms of finishing fourth, and I think we need to win both our remaining games.
"We are still a bit of a nearly team in my opinion, so our recruitment over the summer will be such that we need some experience to come in to alleviate situations so that we don't give teams a 20-point start or lose in the last minute.
"The lads have certainly not put the cue in the rack. They are not on their holidays, and if we can get a win at the weekend it will probably set up the biggest game in the competition against Leicester on the last day."
Bath's hopes of a top-six finish are slender to say the least, with bonus point victories required in their last two fixtures against Gloucester at Kingsholm on Saturday and home to London Irish, and Gloucester collecting nothing from Bath or final day opponents Saracens, plus Sale losing twice.
"We've got to be really smart tactically because Gloucester do play," Bath rugby director Todd Blackadder said.
"They throw the ball around a lot, but actually a strength can often be turned into a weakness if we defend really well.
"We are in a position where we've got nothing to lose, so we've got to play."
Gloucester, who will face Cardiff Blues in the European Challenge Cup final on May 11, can still secure a play-off place, but they have no margin for error.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Worcester host Harlequins - a Warriors win or losing bonus point would seal London Irish's relegation fate - and Sunday's action sees Irish entertain Saracens and Northampton head to Wasps.
Saracens' England number eight Billy Vunipola is set for a first appearance since breaking his arm in January after being named on the bench, with Saracens guaranteed a home play-off game if they triumph in bonus point fashion, while Wasps know that victory over Saints further strengthens their top-four hopes.
Saturday, April 28
Exeter (1) v Sale (7)
Exeter show a number of changes from the side that saw off London Irish a fortnight ago. Centre Sam Hill replaces Ian Whitten (broken hand), and Joe Simmonds is preferred to Gareth Steenson at fly-half, while prop Alec Hepburn, hooker Jack Yeandle and lock Sam Skinner are all called up.
Will Addison returns from injury to fill the full-back berth for Sale, while Ben and Tom Curry both gain back-row starts alongside captain Jono Ross. The Sharks also field another set of brothers in centres Sam and Luke James.
Last season: Exeter 30 Sale 25, Sale 3 Exeter 21
Last six league matches: Exeter L W W W W W Sale L L W W W L
Top try scorers: Sam Simmonds (Exeter) 12; Denny Solomona & Marland Yarde (Sale) 11
Top points scorers: Gareth Steenson (Exeter) 196; Alan MacGinty (Sale) 166
Gloucester (6) v Bath (8)
Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann has made four changes - all in the pack - for Bath's Kingsholm visit. Ackermann fields a new front-row of Josh Hohneck, James Hanson and John Afoa, with back-row forward Lewis Ludlow taking over from Ruan Ackermann.
Lock Charlie Ewels continues as Bath captain, with rugby director Todd Blackadder making three changes as he hands starts to full-back Tom Homer, centre Max Clark and prop Anthony Perenise, while wing Matt Banahan lines up against the club he will join this summer.
Last season: Bath 44 Gloucester 20, Gloucester 6 Bath 15
Last six league matches: Gloucester L D L W L W Bath L W L L L L
Top try scorers: Henry Trinder (Gloucester) 6; Matt Banahan & Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath) 7
Top points scorers: Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester) 157; Rhys Priestland (Bath) 170
Worcester (11) v Harlequins (9)
Former Ireland Test lock Donncha O'Callaghan will captain Worcester in his final game before retirement, while full-back Chris Pennell makes a 200th Warriors first team appearance. O'Callaghan apart, scrum-half Francois Hougaard and flanker Marco Mama also return to the starting XV.
Harlequins rugby director John Kingston has made three changes following a narrow defeat at Gloucester last time out. The backs are unchanged, but lock Charlie Matthews replaces ankle injury victim James Horwill, Dave Ward starts at hooker and Luke Wallace wears the number seven shirt with Chris Robshaw moving to blindside flanker.
Last season: Worcester 24 Harlequins 17, Harlequins 36 Worcester 14
Last six league matches: Worcester W L L L W L Harlequins L L W L L L
Top try scorers: Josh Adams (Worcester) 13; Tim Visser & Charlie Walker (Harlequins) 8
Top points scorers: Chris Pennell (Worcester) 86; Marcus Smith (Harlequins) 179
Sunday, April 29
London Irish (12) v Saracens (2)
Scotland international flanker Blair Cowan returns to the Irish line-up after being recalled from a loan spell at Saracens, with hooker David Paice captaining the Exiles on his final home appearance before retirement. Elsewhere, Greig Tonks replaces injured full-back Tommy Bell, centre Johnny Williams starts and Theo Brophy Clews moves to fly-half.
England number eight Billy Vunipola is set to make his return from an arm injury that has sidelined him since January after being named on the bench for Saracens' Madejski Stadium trip. Elsewhere, England forwards Jamie George and Maro Itoje start, and prop Vincent Koch is back after an arm injury.
Last season: No Corresponding fixture
Last six league matches: London Irish L W L L W L Saracens W L L W W W
Top try scorers: Alex Lewington (London Irish) 8; Ben Spencer (Saracens) 8
Top points scorers: Tommy Bell (London Irish) 128; Owen Farrell (Saracens) 299
Wasps (3) v Northampton (10)
Prop Simon McIntyre and hooker Tommy Taylor are both called into the Wasps pack for Northampton's Ricoh Arena visit, but rugby director Dai Young retains the back division that helped account for Worcester last time out, with Danny Cipriani, Elliot Daly and Willie Le Roux among the starters.
Northampton show two changes in their starting XV, with centre Luther Burrell and prop Alex Waller both featuring following injury lay-offs. South Africa international flanker Heinrich Brussow, meanwhile, is on the bench for a potential first appearance since early March.
Last season: Wasps 32 Northampton 30, Northampton 15 Wasps 20
Last six league matches: Wasps W D W L L W Northampton W L L L L W
Top try scorers: Josh Bassett & Christian Wade (Wasps) 10; Mike Haywood (Northampton) 6
Top points scorers: Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps) 134; Harry Mallinder (Northampton) 114
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