Exeter Chiefs vs Sale Sharks

Very excited for tomorrow's AP season opener!

EXETER CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE SALE SHARKS

15 Phil Dollman
14 Josh Tatupu
13 Ian Whitten
12 Jason Shoemark
11 Matt Jess
10 Ignacio Mieres
9 Will Chudley
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Chris Whitehead
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Tom Hayes (capt)
5 Aly Muldowney
6 Tom Johnson
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Richard Baxter

16 Simon Alcott
17 Ben Moon
18 Chris Budgen
19 James Hanks
20 James Phillips
21 Kevin Barrett
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Luke Arscott

With Haydn Thomas, Sireli Naqelevuki, Hoani Tui and Neil Clarke injured/recovering from ops, Will Chudley gets the nod at 9 as rewards for his quick service in the warm-ups, with a centre pairing of Shoey and former Ulster player, Ian Whitten, preferred. Craig Mitchell is in at tighthead, with Budgie benching for him, and Si Alcott covers hooker there too.

Should add that Damien Welch, Kai Horstmann and Ben White are v unlucky to miss out

You confident Asbo?

Pete, not counting any chickens, buddy, think Salw will be much improved this year. Looks like two very evenly matched teams on paper

With the exception of Welsh vs. Tiggers all the games look pretty tight on paper. Can't wait for it to get started now.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Pete, not counting any chickens, buddy, think Salw will be much improved this year. Looks like two very evenly matched teams on paper

couldn't agree more, a 1 point win will do for openers

Happy daze are hear again ...

Ye gods that was impressive!

Oh Sale

Fire Sale?

Pfft, Chiefs still aren't good enough for the HC though, this result was clearly a fluke and Leinster will easily beat them, didn't you read that article?

On a serious note, very impressive result for Chiefs, hope it continues and that the HC doesn't take too much out of them.

CD, unexpectedly so - we should know better by now!

Exeter continue to surprise! I thought they would win but to hammer Sale. Wow.

Were Sale diabolical or Exeter just massively good? Or a bit of both? And did Richie Gray and Cips play?

Congrats Exeter, we all keep thinking that the year before was some sort of fluke and every year you prove us wrong. Quality.

yappysnap wrote:Were Sale diabolical or Exeter just massively good? Or a bit of both? And did Richie Gray and Cips play?

Congrats Exeter, we all keep thinking that the year before was some sort of fluke and every year you prove us wrong. Quality.

Bit of both, tbh, yappy - we played an open attacking game, and were aggressive in defence, but Sale seemed determined to hand us the ball. Gray played the full 80 and Cipriani was on from the 30-min mark at 12, when Tuitupu limped off

I'll bet Richie Gray is pleased with his move now. Championship rugby next season beckons if this is anything to go by!

Why oh why did he move to Sale!!?

funnyExiledScot wrote:I'll bet Richie Gray is pleased with his move now. Championship rugby next season beckons if this is anything to go by!

Why oh why did he move to Sale!!?

Aly Muldowney was comfortably the pick of the Scottish locks on display - McKenzie was completely anonymous, Gray unsupported

It's a shame, I had high hopes that Gray and McKenzie would form a strong yet athletic second row combination this season.

Looks like Muldowney and Kellock to face the All Blacks.....