Bristol and Exeter change seven each for Friday night Westcountry clash
BRISTOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Exeter scrum half Jack Maunder looks on during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Bristol and Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate on April 23, 2021 in Bristol, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs have each made seven changes to their starting teams as they both look to bounce back from disappointing defeats last weekend to stay in the play-off places.
Ellis Genge and Charles Piutau are the biggest names to return to the fourth-placed Bears starting team, while Jonny Gray and Jack Nowell are back for third-placed Chiefs.
Elsewhere for Bristol John Hawkins comes into the second row, while Harry Randall and Callum Sheedy make up an all-new half-back division, joined by Sam Bedlow at inside centre in the backs.
For Chiefs, Jack Yeandle skippers the side at hooker, and there are two returning backrowers as Christ Tshiunza β hero of their home win against Quins β and Richard Capstick are in at seven and eight respectively.
In the backs, Exeter also field a completely new half-back pairing, with Jack Maunder at nine and Joe Simmonds at ten, while Nowell's inclusion means that Rory O'Loughlin moves to inside centre, partnering Henry Slade.
Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter was expecting a high-class encounter, drawing a number of similarities in the situations and mindsets of the two teams involved.
βOver the years we've had some great games against Bristol,β he said. βIn all of them, results have gone either way. Right now, you've got two teams who are at the top end of the table and both of whom will be pushing hard to get a result.
βWhat we need to do β and we've spelt this out to the boys this week β is go there and put in a big, emotional performance. I'm sure Pat [Lam] will be saying the same to his team, but more often than not, it's that team that goes out and really imposes themselves from the outset who put the performance in.
βLike ourselves, Bristol will have been frustrated with their result last weekend up at Newcastle, so we have to be ready to come out of the blocks firing and meet the challenge they throw down head on.β
