In the final fixture of the weekend, fourth-place Saracens welcome a Chiefs’ side, who are just one position and three points beneath them, to Allianz Park at 14:00 (BST) in what should be an all-out battle for a Premiership semi-final spot.
A win for Saracens would secure their semi-final place, while, on the other hand, a Chiefs’ win would put them in pole position for a first ever taste of the play-offs and set up an epic finale to the Premiership season next week. It really is all to play for.
Tigers’ victory over Wasps on Saturday all-but secured their own place in the top four, and now Saracens have the chance to do the same on home turf.
However, if Exeter Chiefs are to secure a surprise victory, they would go into the final week of fixtures needing to simply match Saracens final result – although they do face bottom-of-the-table Welsh – meaning Chiefs would still probably have to beat the Sharks in their own tie.
The Chiefs did manage to beat Saracens in their last league encounter in November, but subsequently lost their two more recent meetings in the LV= Cup.
Neither side enter this fixture in good form, with the pair both losing their last two matches. But with Saracens’ two victories over the Chiefs in the LV= Cup already this year, they should be the more confident side.
Best Bet: Exeter Chiefs +10 Handicap – Evens at Stan James
Team News
Saracens will be without Billy Vunipola and Brad Barritt for this vital contest, with the pair both out with knocks. Jackson Wray and Chris Wyles will deputise.
For Exeter Chiefs, Henry Slade will move in to centre to replace Jack Nowell, while Gareth Steenson will start at fly-half. Ben White returns from injury and will take his place in the back-row, and Luke Cowan-Dickie will be given the nod as hooker. There’s also a place for academy graduate Max Bodilly, who is included in a Premiership squad for the first-time.
Saracens: Goode, Ashton, Bosch, Wyles, Strettle, Hodgson, Wigglesworth, M. Vunipola, George, Du Plessis, Kruis, Itoje, Brown, Burger, Wray.
Replacements: Brits, Gill, Johnston, Hargreaves, Joubert, De Kock, Farrell, Tompkins.
Chiefs: McGuigan, Whitten, Slade, Hill, Jess, Steenson, Chudley; Moon, Cowan-Dickie, Francis, Mumm, Lees, Ewers, White, Waldrom.
Replacements: Yeandle, Rimmer, Brown, Welch, Horstmann, Lewis, Vainikolo, Bodilly.
