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Exeter v Saracens - Aviva Premiership Final - LIVE
By RugbyPass
Saracens are looking to dethrone reigning champions Exeter this afternoon in the Aviva Premiership final. The game will be streamed live across Asia on RugbyPass. Anyone outside of Asia can keep up to date in our live Match Centre
Date: Saturday, May 26
Venue: Twickenham Stadium
Kick-off: 14.00 GMT
Expected weather conditions: Sunny day but partly cloudy with a high of 27°C and a low of 16°C.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce & Paul Dix.
TMO: David Grashoff.
Recent results:
2018: Exeter Chiefs won 24-12, Sandy Park
2017: Exeter Chiefs won 20-18, Allianz Park
2017: Exeter Chiefs won 18-16, Sandy Park
2017: Draw 13-13, Allianz Park
2016: Saracens won 34-13, Sandy Park
2016: Saracens won 28-20, Twickenham Stadium
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Lachie Turner, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Don Armand (captain), 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Thomas Waldrom, 21 Stuart Townsend, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Michael Rhodes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Marcelo Bosch, 23 Nathan Earle
Players to watch:
For Exeter Chiefs: Sam Simmonds comes into the match sublime form and will be an influential figure on Saturday. Don Armand is a hard-worker and his big carries can cause havoc. While in the backline Henry Slade, Jack Nowell and Olly Woodburn can be a handful.
For Saracens: Owen Farrell's game-management prowess is a huge threat to any positions and will be a vital component for the Saracens. Maro Itoje adds versatility to the pack and his stature will be a huge problem at the line-outs.
Head to head: Sam Simmonds, currently the most prolific try-scorer in Premiership - scoring 15 times in just 13 starts, will be eager to prove himself against England's powerful No.8 Billy Vunipola. The flyhalf battle will also be interesting with little brother Joe Simmonds' difficult task of going up against the talisman Owen Farrell.
Prediction: Exeter Chiefs are bidding to become only the fourth side ever to have retained the Premiership Rugby title - Leicester 1999-2002, Wasps 2003-2005, Leicester 2009-2010 and Saracens 2015-2016. The Chiefs have won their last ten matches in all competitions since losing to Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in February. Exeter’s victory over Wasps after extra time in last season's final was their first win in seven previous visits to Twickenham Stadium. Saracens have been Premiership Rugby Champions on three previous occasions, beating Leicester in the final in 2011, Bath in 2015 and Exeter in 2016. Saracens have won on their last six visits to Twickenham Stadium since their extra time defeat there to Northampton Saints in the 2014 Premiership Rugby Final. Exeter have won their last four matches against Saracens in all tournaments, including home and away in Premiership Rugby this season and a 43-20 win at Sandy Park in the Anglo-Welsh Cup in February. Exeter Chiefs know how to beat Saracens, thus the defending champions will win this by three points.
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Lachie Turner, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Don Armand (captain), 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Thomas Waldrom, 21 Stuart Townsend, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Michael Rhodes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Marcelo Bosch, 23 Nathan Earle
Date: Saturday, May 26
Venue: Twickenham Stadium
Kick-off: 15.00 (14.00 GMT)
Expected weather conditions: Sunny day but partly cloudy with a high of 27°C and a low of 16°C.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce & Paul Dix.
TMO: David Grashoff.
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Latest Comments
I think Italy were always targetting this match and intended to win. They needed to exorcise the 2023 RWC. I think they could have done with a bit more help from other 6Ns particularly from Ireland to knock more holes in NZ and their confidence.
Mentioned before the Italy Argentina match was a virus that ripped through the Italy camp early that week. In general play Italy were competitive albeit with a high error count and crucial missed tackles.
Ive said it before the era of NZ turning up unprepared for all comers and triumphing is definitively over. If a Tier1 team target NZ and NZ do not prepare accordingly they are in with a major chance of losing. It used to occur the odd time in RWCs against France, now it can occur v any Tier1. The competition has improved. NZ can still be at the top but their talents must be deployed sufficiently into dismantling teams as with their attack then allowed to exploit.
They dismantled Ireland pretty well in Dublin which went largely unnoticed. That allowed them scoreboard advantage and attacking opportunities of which one was enough.
That Italian team beat Wales and significantly Scotland last year. They used the loss to NZ in the most positive way possible. No doubt NZ prepared but I would assume it was similar to versus Argentina: 3/4 arsed at best. These test matches are rare and this was another chance to practice dismantling a determined and prepared opponent which was lost. If Italy had scored a 7 pointer at 17-6....an Italian win was on.
Go to commentsGB = England, Scotland, Wales. UK = England, Wales, Scotland, NI
Nothing to stew son.
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