Ulster vs Exeter - Friday

[Puja]

Ulster: S Moore; W Kok, B Carson, J Postlethwaite, M Lowry; J Murphy, N Doak; E O'Sullivan, R Herring, S Wilson; I Henderson (capt), C Izuchukwu; J McNabney, N Timoney, D McCann.

Replacements: C Reid, T Stewart, C Barrett, H Sheridan, K Treadwell, J Cooney, J Flannery, R Lyttle.

Exeter: H Skinner; B Hammersley, J Hawkins, W Rigg, P Brown-Bampoe; W Haydon-Wood, N Armstrong; W Goodrick-Clarke, J Innard (capt), J Isoefa-Scott; R Tuima, C Tshiunza; M Moloney, R Capstick, R Vintcent.

Replacements: Max Norey, K Blose, J Roots, J Dunne, L Pearson, J Bailey, T Cairns, Z Wimbush.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)


Exeter making 100% sure that they finish bottom of the pool and thus won't have to go play in the Challenge Cup after this.

Puja

[FKAS]

Looks like an exasperated selection from Baxter. I doubt he's been happy with the on field performances and it feels like a "here's your chance, go and prove your worth keeping".

Three playmakers in the backs should get the ball moving and allow them to play territory. Ulster kicked horribly for much of the game Vs Tigers so there's an opportunity there. Ulster have a big pack but are short on props so WGC and JIS should be able to throw their weight around there.

Ulster should win this but I think Chiefs might make this tougher than expected, particularly with Ulster having so many first choice backs out.

[fivepointer]

Exeter resting their 1st XV for the Prem. Cant blame them as they have win a game or two.

Brown-Bampoe took his tries well last week and maybe is on the radar for England A?

[Danno]

'Ter seem bang up for this

[FKAS]

'Ter seem bang up for this

Sounds like Ulster have come back into it but there should be some Chiefs players who are seeing this as a chance to play a lot more rugby over the next few months with a good performance here.

[Danno]

It's a bit of a ding dong. Brown Bampoe* has looked good, so has Tuima

*Snack Briefly will love his chase game

[Danno]

Well that turned ugly

[fivepointer]

Looked good for a while but Exeter are a club in quite a bit of trouble.

We talked about their position on another thread, but my feeling is that this squad is badly underperfoming. Star quality may be in short supply, though I'm convinced they have enough good players to be playing a lot better then they are.

[FKAS]

Looked good for a while but Exeter are a club in quite a bit of trouble.

We talked about their position on another thread, but my feeling is that this squad is badly underperfoming. Star quality may be in short supply, though I'm convinced they have enough good players to be playing a lot better then they are.

Short in confidence. Once it starts going against them they fold. Need the leaders to step up a bit really.

[Scrumhead]

Looked good for a while but Exeter are a club in quite a bit of trouble.

We talked about their position on another thread, but my feeling is that this squad is badly underperfoming. Star quality may be in short supply, though I'm convinced they have enough good players to be playing a lot better then they are.

Agreed. They might not have much in the way of star quality other than IFW, but there are plenty of good, highly experienced Premiership players there. They definitely shouldn’t be getting their arses handed to them as badly or as regularly as they have been. It feels like the end of an era - perhaps not for Baxter, but Hepher and Hunter are surely at risk.

[Oakboy]

Is Yeandle off the scene or injured? His experience and leadership could help. If Slade is missing, the backs lack nous.