Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons: European Challenge Cup preview
Last Updated: 05/04/15 5:23pm
Exeter will bid to reach their first ever European semi-final when they take on Newcastle in the European Challenge Cup last eight on Saturday evening.
The Chiefs welcome back Ben Moon and Tomas Francis in the front row while Byron McGuigan and Tom James come in for Phil Dollman and Jack Nowell at full-back and wing respectively.
Despite seeing a run of five straight wins ended by successive defeats to Saracens and Leicester, Exeter forwards coach Rob Hunter was confident the Chiefs are prepared for the Falcons clash.
“We’re hugely excited and playing at home is always fantastic, especially in a European quarter-final,” he said.
“We like an evening game here and having home support is really important to us. This year we’ve put a real focus on making sure our home performances reflected how much we care about playing for Exeter – and I think the lads have done that very well.
“For us this is a big game, last week was big and next week will be equally as big. For us to get used to being in those important games, you have to be in them and that’s what we are experiencing now.”
Newcastle, meanwhile, make two changes to their starting XV for the match with Juan Pablo Socino and Chris Harris coming in for Gonzalo Tiesi and Noah Cato, respectively.
Those changes also see Adam Powell move to outside centre as Socino slots in at 12.
The game also represents the Falcons' first appearance in the knockout stages of European competition since 2009.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Byron McGuigan, 14 Tom James, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Matt Jess, 10 Henry Slade, 9 Will Chudley; 1 Ben Moon, 2 Jack Yeandle, 3 Tom Francis, 4 Mitch Lees, 5 Damian Welch, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Dean Mumm (c), 8 Tom Waldrom.
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Moray Low, 19 Ben White, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Fetu'u Vainikolo.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Chris Harris, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Juan Socino, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Tom Catterick, 9 Ruki Tipuna; 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Kane Thompson, 6 Richard Mayhew, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Mark Wilson.
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Eric Fry, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Calum Green, 20 Dan Temm, 21 Tane Takulua, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Simon Hammersley.
Watch Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons live on Sky Sports 3 on Saturday from 7.55pm