Gloucester Match Day Programme

Chief Executive & Chairman: Tony Rowe OBE, Hon LLD

Deputy Chief Executive: Keiron Northcott

Directors: Rob Baxter OBE, Steve Byrne, Mark Champion, Brian Lodge, Chris Over

Managing Director: Natasha Pavis

Stadium Operations Director: Mark Isaacs

Sales and Marketing Director: Lisa Duncan

Finance Director: Nicky Teague

Administration Director: Toni Percival

President: Bob Staddon

Director of Rugby: Rob Baxter OBE, Hon LLD

Head Coach: Ali Hepher

Coaches: Rob Hunter, Ricky Pellow, Omar Mouniemne, Haydn Thomas, Gareth Steenson

Academy Manager: Rob Gibson

Team Manager: Tony Walker

Head of Strength & Conditioning: Mark Twiggs

Director of Sports Medicine: Adrian Harris

Head of Sports Medicine: Jamie Fulton

Corporate Account Manager: Sam McIntyre 01392 890879 - (M) 07741 146980

Media & Communications Manager: Mark Stevens

Community Development Manager: Aron Struminski

Merchanise Manager: Sarah Scott - 01392 890872

Design & Production: Jonny Carus

Programme Editor: Mark Stevens

Photography: JMP and Getty Images

welcome

Good afternoon to you all and welcome to Sandy Park for today’s return to Gallagher Premiership action against Gloucester Rugby.

Fresh from securing our place in the Round of 16 in the Heineken Champions Cup a week ago with victory over Castres Olympique, it’s back to the bread and butter of the Premiership this afternoon.

Whilst delighted to have secured home advantage in the next round of Europe against Montpellier, as a club we must park all thoughts of that competition and focus our sights on getting amongst the top four in the Premiership.

Aside from Saracens, the table is certainly heavily congested right now and as recent results have shown us, if you string a couple of victories together, it soon shoots you up the standings and into that top four mix.

Heading into this weekend, we sit just a place outside of the play-off spots and just a solitary point behind third-placed Harlequins and today’s visitors, Gloucester.

With little margin for error, it’s games like today that will have a big bearing on the end of season outcomes. Not only are vital league points on offer, but so too are local bragging rights and I know our lads are desperate to avenge the defeat up at Kingsholm earlier in the season.

Away from the Premiership, our women’s team are continuing to impress in the Allianz Premier 15s, their latest victory coming last weekend with an excellent 41-0 victory over Bristol Bears.

That success, coupled with the win against Saracens the week previous, have certainly underlined the strides our team continue to make. There can, however, be no let-up in the pursuit of points and with more tests looming large on the horizon, I know Susie Appleby will be spelling out the importance of keeping the hammer down in the coming weeks and months.

Next week sees the start of the Guiness Six Nations Championship and again we have a healthy representation of our players in action for their respective countries.

For all of the guys selected, I wish them every success in the Test arena and hope they represent themselves and our club in the best possible light on the global stage.

CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE EXETER RUGBY CLUB

TONY ROWE CBE

With little margin for error, it’s games like today that will have a big bearing on the end of season outcomes

ROB baxter

Good afternoon and welcome to Sandy Park as we return to Gallagher Premiership action after completing the last two pool stage games in the Heineken Champions Cup.

The last couple of weeks have been really interesting for us, firstly our first visit as a club to South Africa to play the Vodacom Bulls followed by the return visit of Castres to wrap up the pool games.

The trip to Pretoria was well organised, well run and, for obvious reasons, interesting in a lot of ways. The players really enjoyed the challenge, but also come together really well as a squad. Early in the week we were open about the challenges of altitude and heat, but got on with training to a level that would open up the lungs and get the players aware of how the game would feel. By the end of the week, all the talk was about how we wanted to play and I thought we hit the pitch with a great attitude.

The senior players led the group really well through the week and it had the feeling of a mini tour which pulled the group in tight and accelerated our preparations. The game itself may not have been exactly what we wanted, but the understanding that a bonus point would be huge for us made sure the team kept focus, even after the red card, and we fought our way to four tries and a hugely valuable point.

The value of that point meant that going into the final round of games we could guarantee a home last 16 game with a fivepoint win, so things were still in our hands.

Again, was the game against Castres exactly how we wanted it to be? No, but this is where it is important to understand the challenges of travelling home from South Africa for a day (we arrived home on Monday lunchtime) and then a disrupted training week due to the freezing temperatures, we couldn’t even team run on Friday as the pitches had frozen solid overnight!

I do think this added to a good deal of our early inaccuracy in attack, but we still had a determination to defend really well and fight through a very tough first half until we claimed that vital fourth try and sealed the win.

I have to give the players a lot of credit on how they have handled the last two weeks and what they have achieved, as it turns out, due to other results, we can also claim a home quarter-final if we overcome Montpellier in the next round.However, that has to be put away for now.

We also have aims to be in the top four of the Premiership this season and it is clear that every game will be crucial, especially when we play the teams around us that are also targeting the top. That is what we face this weekend with the visit of Gloucester and we have to throw everything we can into the game to give us that opportunity to climb!

Finally, can I take this opportunity to welcome George Skivington, along with his fellow coaches, players, officials and supporters of Gloucester to today’s game.

All the Best

Rob

mCmahon gets role on board of wra

The Women’s Rugby Association (WRA), an independent players’ union which was launched in 2021 with World Cup Winner Nolli Waterman as CEO, has announced its inaugural Players’ Board, made up of one representative from each of the 10 current Premier 15s clubs.

Exeter Chiefs and Ireland international, Edel McMahon, is among the players who have been elected to the new Players’ Board Members.

McMahon has been joined by Beth Stafford (Bristol Bears), Trudy Cowan (DMP Sharks), Ciara Cooney (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bryony Cleall (Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning), Georgie PerrisRedding (Sale Sharks), Mica Evans (Saracens), Ellie Lennon (Wasps) and Jo Brown (Worcester Warriors).

The Players’ Board has been elected by members who play for the relevant club. There is also an Executive Committee consisting of a

Chair and Vice Chair, who will be elected from the Players’ Board, the Chief Executive and a number of (non-executive) Directors.

Nolli Waterman, Co-Founder and CEO, WRA, said: “When setting up the WRA we had two clear goals. To provide confidential and independent support and to provide a collective voice for all players across the league. This is a huge milestone for not only the WRA but also women’s domestic rugby across the globe. We have a superb group of players that have been voted in, and I’m sure they will thrive in their roles.”

Conor O’Shea, Executive Director Performance RFU, said: “We’re pleased to see the progress the WRA has made supporting the Allianz Premier 15s players over the last 12 months, and we congratulate them on the process they have run to establish both the Advisory Board and now the Players’ Board. A player voice is integral as the league continues to develop.”

CHIEFS ADD WILLIAMS TO THE MIX

Rob Baxter has wasted little time in bolstering his Exeter Chiefs squad following Ruben van Heerden’s departure.

The Chiefs Director of Rugby this week welcomed experienced forward Mike Williams to the Devon club from Gallagher Premiership rivals, Bath Rugby.

The 31-year-old has agreed a deal until the end of the current campaign, but Baxter has said the option could be there to extend that stay further should the Zimbabwean-born star impress between now and then.

With over 100 Premiership appearances to his name, the 6ft 5in, 18 stone forward is well versed in the English game, having previously enjoyed spells with Worcester Warriors, Leicester Tigers and, more recently, Bath.

“I’m looking forward to getting stuck in,” said Williams. “I’ve obviously come up against the Chiefs a lot in the past, so I know a few of the guys well and what the team are capable of. They are a top side, packed full of high-profile individuals and a team who like to win.

“For me, it’s an honour to be here. With Ruben moving on, the opportunity came up for me to head down here and I’m looking forward to making the most of it. Already the guys have welcomed me with open arms. You can see the boys are a tight group, not just off the field, but also on the field as well.”

Baxter himself is delighted to welcome Williams into his selection mix moving forward.

“Having agreed to release Ruben last week, it did leave us a little light in the second row,” explained Baxter. “At the same time, Mike became available for various reasons at Bath, it’s a little complex and I won’t go into that now, but the opportunity for him to play at Bath were going to be limited. They were prepared because of that instance to release him; he’s fully fit, he’s in full training and ready to go, so for us we’re delighted to bring in a guy who, most people if they watch the Premiership regularly, will know is a proven performer.

“He’s also got that level of experience to come in and slot in straight away, so it’s a great fit for us in many ways. A lot of the guys know him already and I think he will be a great addition to our squad.”

PROUDLY SERVING THE TRADES & DIY SINCE 1770.

baxter backs nowell after omission from england squad

Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, is confident Jack Nowell has what it takes to force his way back into the selection plans of New England head coach Steve Borthwick.

Cornishman Nowell, along with Billy Vunipola and Jonny May, were surprise omissions from Borthwick’s 36-strong squad named earlier this week ahead of the upcoming Guinness Six Nations Championship.

The 29-year-old has won 45 caps for his country, the latest of which came in the Autumn in the defeat to reigning world champions South Africa at Twickenham. Asked by the media about Nowell’s exclusion, Baxter came out in support of the experienced back.

“I can quite easily see him demanding his way back into the squad with the quality of his performances,” said Baxter. “The key for us, just as we always talked about when these guys were wanting to first play for England, the key for us as coaches is we create a platform for these guys to have that opportunity to play well and win big games and be part of big squads.

“That’s part of the process when you want someone to win their first cap, and that’s part of the process now when we want to help get

Jack back into England recognition - it’s the same process, it just feels like different ends of the spectrum.”

Nowell, who won two caps for the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand in 2017, helped England win a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2015 and another title 12 months later. He has also been part of the England squad at the last two World Cups and helped the Chiefs reach six Premiership finals - winning domestic titles in 2017 and 2020, as well as the 2020 European Champions Cup.

The fact the talented back will not be with England does present Exeter fans with the chance to see more of Nowell, who is out of contract with the Chiefs at the end of the current campaign.

“If someone said to me I could have Jack Nowell available for every game I’d bite their hand off,” added Baxter. “He’s been a great player for us, he’s a senior player who takes his role and how the players act, how the squad behaves, how we train, very seriously.

“In a lot of ways he’s one of our key men to have here in and around the club, so on the one hand I’m absolutely delighted he’s here, but on the other hand I do feel for him because he wants to play for England, so it’s a double-edged sword really.”

van heerden departs to take up contract offer with the stormers

Exeter Chiefs have confirmed Ruben van Heerden has left the Gallagher Premiership club with immediate effect.

The 25-year-old lock forward, who signed for the Chiefs last summer from the Sharks, is heading back to South Africa to take up a contract offer with the DHL Stormers.

Van Heerden featured in 14 appearances for the Chiefs this season, scoring five tries in total.

Commenting on the news, Chiefs’ Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, said: “Obviously, it’s a tough decision for everyone involved. Ruben came and saw me a week or so ago and said he felt he hadn’t quite fitted in how he liked too. He also got married recently and I think his wife hadn’t quite settled either.

“I think English rugby and the club wasn’t quite what he expected to be and he was very open and honest about it and said he didn’t feel he was playing to his potential because wrapping it up, he was just homesick. He had no interest to go another club, he only wanted to go home, and he asked if he could look for opportunities in South Africa, which he did.

“The truth is we don’t want an unhappy player bumping around who wants to get away. We realise he was missing home and his family and now he’s picked up this offer from the Stormers, so we’ve released him with immediate effect to take up that contract.”

montpellier to visit devon in last 16 of the champions cup

Exeter Chiefs will face French side Montpellier-Herault in the last 16 of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup.

Saturday’s 40-3 victory over Castres ensured Rob Baxter’s side finished as second seeds in Pool A on a total of 16 points.

They will now welcome Montpellier to Sandy Park on Sunday, April 2 (12:30pm)..

The two sides have met on previous occasions in the competition, the most recent being last

season when the Chiefs won at Sandy Park 426, before losing the corresponding fixture 37-26 at the GGL Stadium.

The game is sure to have added spice with the fact that two of the current Chiefs, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and No.8 Sam Simmonds, will be joining the Top 14 outfit next season.

Should the Chiefs advance into the quarterfinals, they would have home advantage against either the DHL Stormers of Harlequins.

T: SLADE, PENALTY (2), S

SIMMONDS, TSHIUNZA, NOWELL

C: SLADE (2), J SIMMONDS

Chiefs: J Hodge; J Nowell, H Slade (capt, J Simmonds 75), R O’Loughlin (S Kata 54), O Woodburn; H Skinner, S Maunder (J Maunder 44); J Kenny (S Sio 40), J Innard (D Frost 60), J Iosefa-Scott (H Williams 40); J Kirsten (J Dunne 54), D Jenkins; D Ewers (G Fisilau 75), C Tshiunza, S Simmonds.

Castres: J Dumora; A Bouzerand (T Chabouni 26), A Seguret, A Cocagi (L Chilachava 75), T Larregain; B Botica, R Kockott (J Blanc 67); A Tichit (M Tierney 54), G Barlot (B Humbert 54), L Chilachava (A Azar 40); G Maravat (R Pieterse 54), F Vanverberghe (K Korntal 54); M Babillot (capt, T Ben-Nicholas 67), B Delaporte, F Tukino.

Yellow Card: Delaporte, Babillot, Azar Red Card: Tukino

Referee: A Brace Attendance: 11,823

MATCH STATS

59% 54% 63 6

41% 46% 123 0

TOP PERFORMERS

YEANDLE STREET DUNNE GRAY KIRSTEN TSHIUNZA CAPSTICK INNARD KENNY SCHICKERLING V HEERDEN EWERS J MAUNDER O’LOUGHLIN CORDERO

YEANDLE STREET DUNNE GRAY KIRSTEN TSHIUNZA CAPSTICK INNARD KENNY SCHICKERLING V HEERDEN EWERS J MAUNDER KATA CORDERO

C-DICKIE WILLIAMS V HEERDEN GRAY EWERS TSHIUNZA CAPSTICK YEANDLE KENNY SCHICKERLING JENKINS S SIMMONDS S MAUNDER O’LOUGHLIN HOGG

INNARD RICHARDSON PEARSON TEAGUE LEATHERBARROW VINTCENT TUIMA NOREY SOUTHWORTH JOHNSON BAILEY GRUBB JAMES WYATT F NOWELL

C-DICKIE WILLIAMS DUNNE D JENKINS KIRSTEN VERMEULEN S SIMMONDS YEANDLE I-SCOTT SCHICKERLING V HEERDEN CAPSTICK S MAUNDER J SIMMONDS KATA

YEANDLE WILLIAMS KIRSTEN GRAY VERMEULEN TSHIUNZA CAPSTICK C-DICKIE I-SCOTT SCHICKERLING V HEERDEN EWERS S MAUNDER SKINNER KATA

C-DICKIE WILLIAMS V HEERDEN GRAY EWERS TSHIUNZA VERMEULEN YEANDLE I-SCOTT SCHICKERLING DUNNE S SIMMONDS S MAUNDER J SIMMONDS O’LOUGHLIN

YEANDLE WILLIAMS V HEERDEN GRAY EWERS PEARSON VERMEULEN INNARD HEPBURN I-SCOTT DUNNE TSHIUNZA S MAUNDER J SIMMONDS KATA

YEANDLE WILLIAMS DUNNE V HEERDEN EWERS PEARSON VERMEULEN INNARD HEPBURN I-SCOTT JENKINS TUIMA S MAUNDER BECCONSALL O’BRIEN

INNARD WILLIAMS D JENKINS V HEERDEN EWERS PEARSON VERMEULEN FROST SIO SCHICKERLING DUNNE TUIMA S MAUNDER BECCONSALL FEYI-WABOSO

YEANDLE WILLIAMS D JENKINS V HEERDEN PEARSON TSHIUNZA VERMEULEN FROST SIO SCHICKERLING DUNNE EWERS S MAUNDER BECCONSALL KATA

INNARD I-SCOTT BELL BAILEY TUIMA DAVIS FISILAU NOREY SOUTHWORTH JOHNSON TEAGUE GRONDONA JAMES CORNISH F NOWELL

INNARD I-SCOTT DUNNE PEARSON TUIMA DAVIS FISILAU FROST SOUTHWORTH SCHICKERLING BAILEY GRONDONA CAIRNS HENDRICKSON WIMBUSH

YEANDLE WILLIAMS D JENKINS GRAY EWERS TSHIUNZA S SIMMONDS FROST HEPBURN I-SCOTT V HEERDEN GRONDONA BECCONSALL KATA HODGE

C-DICKIE WILLIAMS D JENKINS GRAY EWERS TSHIUNZA S SIMMONDS YEANDLE HEPBURN I-SCOTT V HEERDEN GRONDONA BECCONSALL KATA HODGE

YEANDLE WILLIAMS D JENKINS

GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP PREMIERSHIP RUGBY CLUB HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP

Loyal supporters of local businesses and communities for over 90 years, we help our clients face the future with greater confidence.

MANAGEMENT EXETER CHIEFS

TONY WALKER

TEAM MANAGER

ROB GIBSON

ACADEMY MANAGER

ADRIAN HARRIS

DIRECTOR OF SPORTS MEDICINE

JAMIE FULTON

HEAD OF SPORTS MEDICINE

ADAM REUBEN

CLUB DOCTOR

STEVE HAW

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

ALEX HOLLAND

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

JOSH KENNEDY

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

JONNY MARKS

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

CHRIS STOKES

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

TOM EAST

SPORTS REHABILITATOR

MARK TWIGGS

HEAD OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

ROB BEDDARD

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

JOE SATT

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

NICK COX

STRENGTH & REHABILITATION COACH

ARON STRUMINSKI

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

GARETH ELLIOTT

HEAD OF PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

MATT TRIBBLE / OLLIE CHALK

ANALYSTS

KYE MUNSLOW

OPERATIONS & KIT MANAGER

ROB BAXTER OBE DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

ROB HUNTER FORWARDS COACH

RICKY PELLOW SKILLS COACH

HAYDN THOMAS SENIOR COACH

GARETH STEENSON SENIOR COACH

ALI HEPHER HEAD COACH

OMAR MOUNEIMNE DEFENCE COACH

RUGBYSHORTS

BURNS DEPARTS LEICESTER FOR NEW START WITH HIGHLANDERS

Freddie Burns, Leicester’s match-winner in last season’s Gallagher Premiership final, will leave the club in February to join New Zealand-based Highlanders. Burns kicked a dramatic last-minute drop -goal in Leicester’s 15-12 win over Saracens in June.

The Tigers said they had agreed for the former England international, 32, to be released early from his contract.

“At this stage in my career, the opportunity was one I saw as too good to turn down,” said Burns, who has made 114 appearances in two spells with the Tigers, initially joiniung in 2014 from Gloucester and leaving for Bath three years later.

After time playing in Japan, he returned to Welford Road in the summer of 2021, with the highlight of his second stint being the kick that ended Leicester’s nine-year wait for a league title.

“To have had the moments we have had together in the past few seasons, not just the final win, has been like a dream and comething I will never forget.”

McGUIGAN WANTS TO REALISE CUP DREAM WITH NAMIBIA

Former Exeter Chiefs back Byron McGuigan is preparing for a 5,387 mile journey from Manchester to Windhoek that will transform the Sale Sharks winger from a Scotland international into a key member of Namibia’s squad at this year’s Rugby World Cup in France. McGuigan won 10 caps for Scotland, the last of which came in the 17-0 win against Italy in February 2020, and if his plans come to fruition his World Cup debut for Namibia will be against Italy at St Etienne on September 9.

“This change came about through Chrysander Botha, who I used to play with at the Chiefs who is now part of the national coaching team. We were room mates at Exeter and got on really well. The law change on eligibility then happened, so I got in touch with him and this February is three years since I last played for Scotland.

“I’m proud to have played for Scotland, but I have strong roots in Namibia and over the years the country have lost a lot of rugby talent, I want to go back and help the country I was born in.”

WHITELEY BOLSTERS OPTIONS FOR TIGERS IN NUMBER NINE JERSEY

Leicester Tigers have signed Bristol Bears scrum-half Tom Whiteley after an early release was agreed by Pat Lam’s side.

The 27-year-old joined the Tigers this week after agreeing a long-term deal.

He is the second scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth has signed since he retired as a player to take over as head coach at Welford Road following the departure of Steve Borthwick to England.

Wigglesworth said: “We are very excited to have Tom join and look forward to what he brings to the club. He is an experience campaigner in the league and adds great depth, as well as competition, to our scrum-half ranks.”

Whiteley added: “I am very excited to be joining Tigers,as the club builds on last season’s Premiership sucess. It’s a club with a proud history and a bright future. I know Richard well from our days at Saracens. His knowledge and energy are unbelievable.”

SECOND-ROW MUNGA AGREES NEW CONTRACT WITH LONDON IRISH

London Irish second row Chunya Munga has signed a new contract with the Gallagher Premiership club.

The 220-year-old - who has come up through the club’s academy - has featured 45 times for the Exiles since his debut in October 2019.

Irish have not disclosed the length of the former England Under-20s player’s new deal.

“Chunya has really come into his own lately and has shown excellent qualities, both on and off the pitch,” said Irish director of rugby, Declan Kidney.

“Myself and the coaches look forward to what he can bring to the team in the future. He is still very young, but he has the potential to reach even bigger heights with us.”

Munga’s news was followed with confirmation that Argentinian forward Juan Martin Gonzalez has also agreed new terms with the Exiles.

BEARS DEDUCTED POINTS AFTER FIELDING INELIGIBLE PLAYER

Bristol Bears have been deducted five points and given a suspended fine of 10,000 euros fine by EPCR for selecting an ineligible player in the European Challenge Cup.

The Bears picked lock Elliott Stooke in their Round 1 and 2 fixtures against Perpignan and Zebre in December.

EPCR rules state a player must be contracted to a club for a minimum of three months to play. An indepedent disciplinary committee heard that Stooke activated an early release clause in his contract with Bristol to join Montpellier in January after playing in both matches.

The home of domestic rugby

TODAY’S OFFICIALS

REFEREE: TOM FOLEY

TOUCH JUDGES: CRAIG MAXWELL-KEYS

4TH OFFICIAL: LIONEL SPOONER

TMO: DAVID ROSE

TK: ANDREW PEARCE

OPPOSITION

PREMIERSHIP rugby

RECORD all-time

PLAYED 572

WON 290

DRAWN 19

LOST 263

Founded: 1891

Ground: Kingsholm Stadium, Kingsholm Road, Gloucester

GL1 3AX

Capacity: 16,115

Website:

www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk

Biggest Win: 64-0 v Bath Rugby (2022)

Heaviest Defeat: 12-62 v Saracens (2018)

HEAD COACH: Phil Dowson

CAPTAIN: Lewis Ludlam

GROUND: Kingsholm Stadium

GLOUCESTER RUGBY

It’s back to Gallagher Premiership action today for Gloucester Rugby as they travel to Sandy Park to face fifth-placed Exeter Chiefs.

George Skivington says preparation this week will be key to getting a result in Devon against the 2019/20 winners.

“They’ve got a lot of trophies in the cabinet and they’re a well-oiled machine with a lot of big names. It’s a big challenge for us and we know we’ve got to be really good, so we’re just trying to prepare well for it.”

The last time the teams met in October, the Cherry & Whites claimed a memorable 38-22 win under the lights at Kingsholm, but Skivington says his side aren’t reading too much into their previous meeting.

“We’ll obviously look back at that game, but I think both teams have

moved on from then. They’re playing slightly differently, and we’ve got a few slightly different personnel in, so there are different challenges for both teams.

“You don’t want to think too much about what happened last time round it’s important to keep looking forwards.”

With Gloucester just one place above the Chiefs, and only ten points between third and last place in the league, Skivington says every match in the Gallagher Premiership is important.

“Third place to ninth are all chasing those top spots, so I think everybody will just be focused on trying to win this weekend and then in the next round of games.

“It will be tight for the rest of the year and every game is going to be massively important, but as I said there’s been a lot of good learnings for us over the last few weeks and we just want to keep improving.”

Last weekend, the Cherry & Whites progressed in the Heineken Champions cup thanks to their impressive win in Bordeaux. The Head Coach was delighted with his side’s game management.

“It was a very hard-fought win, it’s a very tough place to go. It was a brilliant atmosphere in a brilliant stadium, but I was proud of how they managed the game.

“There were some helter-skelter moments and in true French style they opened us up a couple of times, but I thought the group came up with a plan and executed well.”

The Cherry & Whites face another French trip in the round of 16 when they head to the home of the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup winners, La Rochelle. Skivington says the team will take confidence from their win in Bordeaux, but for now, all eyes are on their return to Premiership action this Saturday.

“You always take confidence from a win, and we take some good learnings as well about how we could have done things a little better. But La Rochelle is a little bit down the line, it’s an exciting prospect to visit the reigning champions, but we’ll get to that when we get to that. For now, we’re back in the Prem, and we’re excited to go and play Exeter on Saturday.”

TRY TIMINGS

LINE-OUT/SCRUM STATS

LAST FOUR MEETINGS

Premiership Rugby Cup (Sandy Park, 4/12/22)

EXETER 50 / GLOUCESTER 33

Gallagher Premiership (Kingsholm, 28/10/22)

GLOUCESTER 38 / EXETER 22

Gallagher Premiership (Sandy Park, 12/2/22)

EXETER 24 / GLOUCESTER 15

Gallagher Premiership (Kingsholm, 29/10/21)

GLOUCESTER 13 / EXETER 16

THE FORM GUIDE

BORDEAUX-BEGLES (A) 17-26

LEINSTER (H) 14-49

SARACENS (H) 16-19

LONDON IRISH (H) 8-6

SANTIAGO CARRERAS

Santiago Carreras made an immediate impact when he first came to Kingsholm early on in the 2020/21 season.

Scoring six tries in 14 games this season, the Argentine international quickly became a fans’ favourite due to his truly wonderful ability to score intercept tries.

The versatile Puma played a key part in the 2020 international series, starting at full-back in Argentina’s historic 25-15 victory over the All Blacks in Australia.

Becoming more experienced at an international level, he made a good impression during their latest tour last summer, showcasing his versatility across the back division.

Born in Cordoba on March 30, 1998, Carreras began his senior career with the Jaguares in the 2019 Super Rugby season, where he would feature 12 times, scoring 25 points in total.

He has been capped 32 times by his country, the most recent of those coming in the Autumn Nations Series against Scotland in November.

In June of last year, Carreras signed a contract extension deal with Gloucester, much to the delight of head coach George Skivington, who said: “Santi is an extremely brave rugby player who always puts his body on the line.

“He is a real talent and is able to do things on the rugby pitch that you can’t teach. He is a gifted rugby player and I am delighted to have retained his services.”

POWERING SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE RUGBY COMMUNITY

We’ve partnered with Premiership Rugby to celebrate the small business and rugby communities, and show how living your values brings success on and off the pitch.

Funding Circle is the UK’s #1 platform for business finance, offering loans of £10,000-£750,000 at fixed rates. To see how you could get a lending hand, visit fundingcircle.com

“Excellent” Based on 12,745 reviews

NIGEL WALROND

Exeter Chiefs being handed a home tie against Montpellier in the Round of 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup is fascinating on all sorts of levels.

There is the fact that two – and possibly three if you believe the French media – members of the current Exeter squad have signed for the French Top 14 club for next season.

Sam Simmonds and Luke Cowan-Dickie are on their way to the GGL Stadium, and they could be joined by Harry Williams, though it is almost certain that Luke won’t have recovered from ankle surgery in time to feature in the game.

The two sides have also met several times in Europe before, and they are usually very entertaining matches.

The match has been slated for Sunday, April 2, with a 12.30pm kick-off.

By the time the game kicks off, Chiefs will know who they will be playing at home in the quarter-finals if they win as South African side DHL Stormers and Harlequins meet the day before. It will be a lasteight tie at Sandy Park as Exeter finished second in Pool A.

You have got to feel for Quins and their supporters, as they face the prospect of a second trip to South Africa in the space of five months, having played the Sharks in the pool stages.

It is very interesting looking at the 16 teams that have made it through to the knockout stages of the Champions Cup.

A lot has been made of the impact the new salary cap imposed on Premiership clubs is going to have in Europe, and the fact that Irish and French sides are set to dominate the competitions for several seasons.

Of course, La Rochelle and Leinster fought out last

season’s final, and you would be a brave man to bet against them meeting again in June, with them having both won their respective pools.

But out of the eight French clubs that started the competition, five have already been eliminated – Clermont Auvergne, Racing 92, Lyon, Bordeaux Begles and Castres – whereas only three of the eight English representatives have been knocked out so far – Sale, Northampton and London Irish.

Of the other Irish teams, both Munster and Ulster also made very hard work of reaching the last 16, with Ulster sneaking home in eighth spot in Pool A, after winning only one of their four pool games, while Munster were just two places and three points ahead of them, with two wins from four.

Scotland and Wales’ sole representatives have qualified in the shape of Edinburgh and Ospreys, as have all three South African teams.

Last 16 line-up: English 5 (including today’s visitors Gloucester), French 3, South African 3, Irish 3, Scottish 1, Welsh 1.

Last Sunday’s entertaining Edinburgh-Saracens game showed once again how important it is for coaching teams to communicate the correct information to their players when playing the final round of matches in the pool stages.

Edinburgh kicked the ball off the pitch at the end of their game, satisfied with their fine win over Saracens, not realising that by not going for an extra three points, they had consigned themselves to a last 16 trip to Leicester Tigers and not a home game with Ospreys.

It brought back happy memories of Clermont scrumhalf Morgan Parra doing Exeter a big favour in 2016!

GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP ROUND

15 REVIEW

EXETER CHIEFS 35

T: S Simmonds, Woodburn, Cowan-Dickie (2), Slade

C: J Simmonds (5)

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 12

T: Dingwall, Proctor

C: Furbank

HARLEQUINS 16

T: Marchant, David; P: Allan (2)

SALE SHARKS 24

T: O’Flaherty, du Preez, van der Merwe, Wiese;

C: du Preez (2)

NEWCASTLE FALCONS 45

T: Carreras (3), Chick, Blamire, Moroni; C: Connon (6) P: Connon

LEICESTER TIGERS 26

T: B Youngs, Chessum, Gopperth, Jansen

C: Atkinson (3)

GLOUCESTER 16

T: Thorley;

C: Carreras; P: Carreras (3)

SARACENS 19

T: Malins, Van Zyl

P: Farrell (2); D: Farrell (2)

LONDON IRISH 23

T: Janse van Rensburg, White; C: Jennings (2); P: Jennings (3)

BRISTOL BEARS 7

T: Thacker; C: MacGinty

TOP POINTS SCORERS

TOP TRY SCORERS

TOP METRES MADE

TOP CARRIES MADE

GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP ROUND 16 FIXTURES

TOP TACKLES MADE

THANK YOU TO OUR MATCH-BALL SPONSORS

KEY CLUB PARTNERS

KEY CLUB SPONSORS

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

SIO’S EUROPEAN ADVENTURES LIVING UP TO EXPECTATION

PROP SETTLING IN WELL TO LIFE IN DEVON

Having been sold the dream of living overseas by a number of his fellow Aussies, Scott Sio insists his Exeter Chiefs adventure is already living up to expectation.

As the latest in a line of high-profile names to swap life ‘Down Under’ for that of the Westcountry, Sio insists his switch to pastures new is already reaping its rewards and he is excited at what the future holds here in Devon.

“I’d talk to a few people about the club, the city, the people before I came here and all I got was positive vibes,” he explained. “Having been here a few months now, it’s everything I thought it would be and more. Everyone has been so welcoming, the guys have been sound and the city itself is beautiful. From the get-go, I’ve been made to feel very welcome by everyone.”

The main purpose of Sio’s round the world switch, however, was to test himself in a new environment and with a club who share the same high ambitions that he holds himself.

“It’s different for sure,” he laughs. “The weather forces you to play a certain style of rugby up here and there is a big focus on set-piece. Luckily for me, I played with the Brumbies and we were called the boring team in Super Rugby because we only scored maul tries. The thing was, we won games, and that was the main thing.

“Coming here, though, it’s been good to test myself in a different way. Obviously, I had been here on tours in the past, but being here week by week, coming up against a different calibre of player, it’s been cool to challenge myself.”

Certainly Sio has settled well to life with the Chiefs, producing some notable displays in both the Gallagher Premiership and the Heineken Champions Cup, both competitions which the club will be looking to really attack over the coming weeks and months.

“Rob [Baxter] said to me, Super Rugby is more of a tournament, whereas the Premiership is a full-on season, which it is,” explained the 71-capped Wallaby. “Because the season is like that, the mindset changes and you have to play the long game. Every week here is a step towards an end goal and that’s something I’ve had to adjust to.

“That said, I’ve really enjoyed challenging myself in that way. Also, things like the bus trips home and being able to be back in your own bed that night after a game, it’s been a welcome addition.”

And it’s not just on the field where Sio is making a big impact, his close, daily work with a number of the club’s up-and-coming youngsters is also making a real impact.

It’s a role, however, that the Sydney-born forward is keen to take on, given his vast experience at both club and international level.

“If I can offer some advice to some of those younger guys, I’ll do that,” he said. “Coming here, I like how the young players are all in the main changing room with the rest of us. It can get a bit packed a bit messy at times, but it also allows you to build relationships with those boys - and it means that when they do come into the side, they are a lot more confident and comfortable having trained with us.”

One such example has been the rise of back-row forward Greg Fisilau who, as the youngest on the recent trip to South Africa, was tasked with looking after a toy baby at all times.

Sio, himself no stranger to trips around the Southern Hemisphere, said the tour itself had produced many positives.

“For a lot of the boys it was a new experience, living in each other’s pockets 24/7,” he said. “When you’re in Australia, you are not near anyone and you have to travel a fair bit. I thought I had left the South African teams behind when I came here, but it looks as though they have been a welcome addition to the Champions Cup.

“For us as a team, though, it was good to see how everyone interacted with one another. It was different to what they are normally used to, but it’s those kind of trips that help to really bond teams and that can be something you use further down the line.”

WHO WE ARE

The Exeter Chiefs Foundation is a charity that exists with the sole aim of helping other charities. All of the money we raise is donated to worthy causes in and around the city with a focus on supporting ‘tangible’ investments. These have included funding building and renovation works, the installation of play equipment, and assistance with buying a large number of vehicles, ranging from minibuses to a boat for the Topsham Sea Scout Group.

Founded by club Chairman Tony Rowe OBE, the team of trustees is drawn from the Chiefs board of directors and the business community.

As well as deciding on how the charity’s money is shared, the trustees organise a number of fundraising events each year including the prestigious Devon Sports Awards, as well as pre-season and end of season gala dinners.

All charities in the greater Exeter area are able to apply for funds, either from an annual designated pot of money, or one-off donations (see more below).

The amounts awarded by the trustees range from a few hundred pounds, to a record £50,000 which was matched by the Exeter Summer Property Ball Committee and presented to Hospiscare to pay for the vital refurbishment of a 12-bed ward at Searle House in Exeter.

To date the Foundation has raised £2m.

OUR MISSION

“We are a fundraising organisation committed to improving the prosperity of the communities we serve by making donations that make people’s lives better.”

HOW THE CHARITY WORKS

The Exeter Chiefs Foundation raises funds in two ways:

1) Designated funds: This is the money generated on Exeter Chiefs match days through bucket donations and car parking. Each season we ‘adopt’ 20 charities who help to collect spare change and notes. At the end of the fundraising year, the cash is shared with our designated charities at a celebratory dinner. The list of charities is reviewed by the trustees annually.

2) Undesignated funds: These are funds that are generated by friends and supporters of the charity or any non-match related events organised by the Foundation. This money goes into a separate pot that any charity or organisation can apply for, at any time. In January 2019, the Foundation received a record £350,000 non-designated donation following the fine imposed on Saracens after being found guilty of breaching the league’s stringent salary cap regulations. The Chiefs board of directors voted unanimously to hand over the club’s share of money.

CHARITIES SET TO BENEFIT FROM EXETER CHIEFS FOUNDATION THIS SEASON ARE CONFIRMED

Charities across Exeter and its surrounding area are set to benefit from the fundraising efforts of the Exeter Chiefs Foundation during the course of the 2022/23 season.

Established back in 2011 by the Exeter Chiefs and a selected group of local businessmen to help promote the local community and the vision of people who work there, the Exeter Chiefs Foundation has helped to not only transform the lives of many local people in need, but has helped to deliver significant investment to charities and organisations in need.

With over £2.5 million raised since its inception, the Exeter Foundation has helped to directly fund over 150 charities and organisations, including the designated charities selected each year and several other projects and schemes.

Last season close to £200,000 was raised and distributed by the Exeter Chiefs Foundation, helping to change lives and improve standards and facilities for so many different people.

During the 2022/23 season, a total of 32 charities – Age UK Exeter, Balloons, Brain Tumour Support, Children’s Hospice South West, Community Equality Disability Action, Dartmoor Search & Rescue, Devon Air

Ambulance, Devon Rape and Sexual Abuse Services, Dream-A-Way, Exeter & East Devon Motor Neurone Disease Association, Exeter Athletic RFC, Exeter Community Initiatives, Exeter Dementia Action Alliance, Exeter Chiefs DSA, Exeter Food Action, Exeter Leukemia Fund, Exeter Lions Club, Force Cancer Charity, Freedomwheelers, Its In The Bag Cancer Support, Jay’s Aim, Living Options Devon, RAMM, RD&E NHS Trust, Royal Marines Charity, See The Future, South West MS Centre, Stanley Beau Foundation, Vranch House, Westcountry Hawks Wheelchair Rugby, Wooden Spoon Devon and Yoga for the Front Line – will all benefit from fundraising events and dinners across the year, together with collections at all Sandy Park match-days. Exeter Foundation chairman, Tony Rowe OBE, said: “Every year we are seeing the Foundation grow in stature. The work it has done for all the charities since we launched it all those years has been simply fantastic. “We know from speaking to all the charities involved that the funds we raise really do make a difference in so many ways.”

WOMEN’S FIXTURES, RESULTS & STATS

LIVE FOR MATCH DAY

T: MOLONEY (2), CRAMER, ROGERS, TURANI, MACDONALD

C: McGOVERNE (3), CANTORNA

P: McGOVERNE

Chiefs: M Doidge; L Cramer, K Zackary, G Cantorna, C MacDonald; L McGoverne (R Wilkins 66), F Robinson (B Bradley 69); H Rogers (S Turani 52), C Moloney (E Tuttosi 43), D Menin (C Jacoby 64); N Fryday (G Senft 62) P Leitch (capt, L Van Der Velden 62); E Jefferies, E McMahon (N McGillivray 58) R Johnson

Bears: C Keight (J Smith 70); G White, E Lovibond, A Reed (capt, R inman 70), R Bonner (G Prys 46-50); E Snowsill (L Skuse 58), L Burgess (M Davies 58); S Pam, L Davies (J Sprague 70), S Bern (G Prys 50); H Phillips, D Burns; A Lockwood (A Parsons 77), B King, R Marston. Replacement (not used): E Mulhearn

Yellow Card: Pam

Referee: H Walbaum Attendance: 1,112

MATCH STATS

59% 69% 114 6

41% 31% 139 0

TOP PERFORMERS

MANAGEMENT EXETER CHIEFS WOMEN

MAIN SPONSOR KEY CLUB PARTNERS

SUSIE APPLEBY HEAD COACH

STEVE SALVIN ASSISTANT COACH

PROUD PARTNERS OF

bristolstreet.co.uk

Renault Exeter 14a Marsh Barton Rd, Marsh Barton, Exeter EX2 8NT

Hyundai Exeter Unit 15, Trusham Rd, Marsh Barton, Exeter EX2 8QQ

Dacia Exeter 14a Marsh Barton Rd, Marsh Barton, Exeter EX2 8NT

Exeter Van Centre

kick-off 2023 in style by signing up for our february half-term camps

Kick-off 2023 in style by signing your child up for one of our Train Like A Chief camps, which will be held across the region during the February half-term.

Developed and designed by our team of professional coaches, using the most up to date techniques, our rugby camps aim to offer young people the best possible experience and insight into the modern-day game.

Campers will not only learn the basic elements of the game, but at the same time improve their skill set in a range of activities and match-like scenarios. The key focus for the Chiefs’ Community team is on encouraging and inspiring young players to become the best they can be and to reach their full potential.

The camps are supported by our professional coaching staff, who will use their experiences to pass on top tips and training techniques. So who better to learn from? Regardless of age or ability, there is a course to suit everyone.

In February, we have two different one-day courses in Cornwall and two one-day courses in Devon. Priced at £36 per camp, children aged between 6-13 will get the opportunity to experience what rugby life is all about at a top Gallagher Premiership club. Also each participant will receive a Community Chiefs branded item which will be different at every half term period.

To book your place, visit the Train Like a Chief section on the club’s official website:

www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/community/community-camps

TICKET INFORMATION

SALE SHARKS

SUNDAY 26 FEBRUARY

KICK OFF: 1PM

SANDY PARK

DMP SHARKS

SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY

KICK OFF: 12PM

SANDY PARK

WEST CENTRE

WEST wings

south stand centre

south stand wings

east terrace centre

east terrace wings

north terrace centre

north terrace wings

east stand upper wings

east stand upper centre

TICKETHUB.EXETERCHIEFS.CO.UK