Chiefs set for winner takes all showdown
EXETER Chiefs skills coach Ricky Pellow has called for ‘more of the same’ from his side as they wrap up the pool stages of this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup with ‘a winner takes all’ visit of Gloucester today.
Victories over Bristol Bears and Bath, coupled with a five-point victory for their cancelled clash with the now defunct Worcester Warriors, means the Chiefs and Gloucester have a shootout for first place in Pool 1.
Buoyed by last weekend’s 25-22 win over Bath, Pellow will again call upon many of those who produced the goods to see off their West Country rivals a week ago.
It was a performance that highlighted many positives, particularly the emergence of a number of the club’s highly-rated youngsters, and he’s keen for them all to shine when they take centre stage again this weekend.
“We we’re really pleased, not just with the result, but with the performance as well,” said Pellow. “That victory has set us up nicely and takes us into what is now a massive game against Gloucester this weekend. They have been the form side in our group, winning every game with a bonus point, so we know it’s going to be super tough, but a great challenge at the same time.”
With a potential home semi-final spot up for grabs, the Chiefs are well aware that victory is essential in their quest for glory.
“It’s all in our hands, we know what we have to do,” added Pellow. “We know all about Gloucester’s strength, particularly around their strong maul game, they use that as a real weapon to gain momentum and territory, so we have to stop that. Equally, they have quality half-backs who like to control the game, so again we need to shut off that threat and their key runners.”
The Chiefs largely stick with the same side as last week but Jack Dunne and Lewis Pearson are added to the pack, while in the backs Will Becconsall, Solomone Kata and Dan John also get the nod from the outset.
Gloucester have made four changes to their backline as Ben Meehan, Morgan Adderly-Jones, Jack Reeves and Alex Morgan come in.
In the forwards, Seb Blake, Kirill Gotovtsev, Arthur Clark and Jack Bartlett return to start.
The Cherry and Whites are unbeaten and are top of Pool 1 by one point after bonus point victories over Bath and Bristol.