RugbyRebels

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Olly Woodburn
14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
13 Henry Slade
12 Will Rigg
11 Campbell Ridl
10 Harvey Skinner
9 Stephen Varney

1 Scott Sio
2 Joseph Dweba
3 Bachuki Tchumbadze
4 Dafydd Jenkins (c)
5 Andrea Zambonin
6 Tom Hooper
7 Ethan Roots
8 Greg Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Jack Yeandle
17 Will Goodrick-Clarke
18 Jimmy Roots
19 Rusi Tuima
20 Kane James
21 Charlie Chapman
22 Will Haydon-Wood
23 Dan John

Ikitau suffered the injury in the closing stages of Chiefs’ Gallagher PREM round seven win over Saracens at the StoneX Stadium last weekend.

Director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “In a tackle against Saracens, Len has picked up the injury and it’s going to require surgery. The good news is that we can get him in for the operation pretty quickly, though unfortunately it does mean he will miss the block of games over the festive period and into the cup competitions in the new year.

“We’re looking at him being back fully fit and ready to play the remainder of the season post the Prem Rugby Cup block which overlaps with the Guinness Six Nations.

“It’s very unfortunate for Len, who has been playing out of his skin for us and was in outstanding form. It’s a shame for him and a shame for us because he’s been an important part of what we’ve achieved so far this season."

Leicester Tigers (appearances)

15. Freddie Steward (119)
14. Adam Radwan (21)
13. Izaia Perese (18)
12. Solomone Kata (52)
11. Ollie Hassell-Collins (58)
10. Billy Searle (11)
9. Tom Whiteley (50)

1. Nicky Smith (33)
2. Jamie Blamire (9)
3. Joe Heyes (170)
4. Cameron Henderson (74)
5. Ollie Chessum (73) ©
6. Joaquin Moro (11)
7. Tommy Reffell (145)
8. Olly Cracknell (72)

Replacements:

16. Finn Theobold-Thomas (23)
17. Tarek Haffar (8)
18. Will Hurd (59)
19. James Thompson (9)
20. Sam Williams (7)
21. Jack van Poortvliet (100)
22. Orlando Bailey (9)
23. Gabriel Hamer-Webb (3)

Geoff Parling said, “This is a genuine test for our group to go away to a very good Exeter side and show what we’re about.

“Unfortunately Joe Woodward picked up an injury in the Gloucester win, and alongside James O’Connor will be out for around 4 weeks, but it’s great to get Gabe back fit and into the 23.”

Getting some players back is making that a much stronger Leicester side - Chessum and Cracknell especially, as I'm not convinced Thompson is a Premiership starter quality player. I am a big Searle fan (and was when we signed him, but it is really disappointing that Bailey isn't kicking on to demand that 10 shirt yet.

Puja

To be fair to Bailey he really hasn't been given much in the way of opportunity. He started the season as the 10, had an injury so Searle came in and then he's never really looked back.

FTT isn't a Prem calibre player and I don't like our one dimensional midfield. No Ikitau for Chiefs is a big blow for them.

FKAS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 26, 2025 7:25 pm To be fair to Bailey he really hasn't been given much in the way of opportunity. He started the season as the 10, had an injury so Searle came in and then he's never really looked back.

FTT isn't a Prem calibre player and I don't like our one dimensional midfield. No Ikitau for Chiefs is a big blow for them.

You'd want him to be training the house down and demanding selection though, but we don't seem to be keen to get him off the bench when he's in the XXIII.

I still hope FTT will make it good. He was so highly rated as a youngster, but I'll agree with you that I've never seen why from his performances. I'm not a Kata fan generally, but you can't argue with his recent form, so we could do worse than him and Perese, who isn't 100% bosh.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Fri Dec 26, 2025 7:48 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Fri Dec 26, 2025 7:25 pm To be fair to Bailey he really hasn't been given much in the way of opportunity. He started the season as the 10, had an injury so Searle came in and then he's never really looked back.

FTT isn't a Prem calibre player and I don't like our one dimensional midfield. No Ikitau for Chiefs is a big blow for them.

You'd want him to be training the house down and demanding selection though, but we don't seem to be keen to get him off the bench when he's in the XXIII.

I still hope FTT will make it good. He was so highly rated as a youngster, but I'll agree with you that I've never seen why from his performances. I'm not a Kata fan generally, but you can't argue with his recent form, so we could do worse than him and Perese, who isn't 100% bosh.

Puja

Kata was brilliant Vs Glaws. I'd have had Bailey in at 12 and Kata at 13, Perese as a second half impact sub. Conditions at Sandy Park are famously awkward because of the wind so having kicking options are 9/10/12/15 eases the pressure. Having two playmakers should help us get our back three into the game as well. A Kata and Perese combination in midfield doesn't help our wingers.

Even if Bailey is training the house down, unless Searle isn't keeping up you aren't making the change. Searle has delivered solid and reliable performances every time and is actually looking more comfortable each game. Bailey almost needs Searle to take a knock and miss a couple of games to get him the chance. Obviously as a Tigers fan I'd rather we had both available and they kept scrapping over the shirt.

Ikitau is a huge loss, it seems that exe can't have nice things for even a brief period any more.

Where's Zac Wimbush? Looked full of promise in his early games, got injured last season and i dont think he's played this one.

fivepointer wrote: ↑Sat Dec 27, 2025 9:39 am Where's Zac Wimbush? Looked full of promise in his early games, got injured last season and i dont think he's played this one.

He got an injury in preseason that kept him out until November. Gone on loan to Pirates to get some match fitness.

Fisilau excellent again.

Tigers midfield defence was fecking awful, particularly in the first half. Kata and Perese looked like they had a cracking Christmas, no legs. Helped Tigers when Kata went off. Unfortunately then Perese also went off and having OHC at 13 didn't really work that well. Line speed in general was shocking and the number of missed tackles at amateur levels.

Chiefs looked tight. Fisilau was good but all the Chiefs forwards carried well and looked fluent in attack. Rob Baxter back to getting the most of what he's got.

Could have been worse for Tigers had Exe scored at the end and not have a try disallowed.

Baxter talked about workrate and theres no doubt he's got this team putting in the effort. They were very good value for the win.

Fisilau is really such a good player. Almost every intervention he makes in a game is positive and effective.

Great game. Exeter are so solid in the back five of the scrum. If you were picking a Prem representative XV you'd probably pick none as individuals but if you were only allowed to pick whole club units Exeter's 2nd and back rows would be there or thereabouts.

On an aside, has there been some directive on caterpillar rucks that I've missed? Since when have SHs been encouraged to roll the ball to the back on the ground with their hands? It is so far removed from old-fashioned rucking which was with the boot. I'd have refs declare the ball out as soon as a SH touches it with his hand no matter whereabouts it was.

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 28, 2025 6:42 pmOn an aside, has there been some directive on caterpillar rucks that I've missed? Since when have SHs been encouraged to roll the ball to the back on the ground with their hands? It is so far removed from old-fashioned rucking which was with the boot. I'd have refs declare the ball out as soon as a SH touches it with his hand no matter whereabouts it was.

World Rugby are on a kick right now about not having laws or not enforcing laws that they see as slowing down the game "without impact", so it wouldn't surprise me. Cost of having an Australian in charge, I suspect. I will admit to finding it hugely satisfying in the first half when Heyes spotted that Exeter were just gently leaning on each other and drove through a 4-man caterpillar to turn it over.

Puja

Puja wrote: ↑Sun Dec 28, 2025 7:43 pm

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 28, 2025 6:42 pmOn an aside, has there been some directive on caterpillar rucks that I've missed? Since when have SHs been encouraged to roll the ball to the back on the ground with their hands? It is so far removed from old-fashioned rucking which was with the boot. I'd have refs declare the ball out as soon as a SH touches it with his hand no matter whereabouts it was.

World Rugby are on a kick right now about not having laws or not enforcing laws that they see as slowing down the game "without impact", so it wouldn't surprise me. Cost of having an Australian in charge, I suspect. I will admit to finding it hugely satisfying in the first half when Heyes spotted that Exeter were just gently leaning on each other and drove through a 4-man caterpillar to turn it over.

Puja

Loved that as well, I hope it catches on