Iosefa-Scott and Hodge return for PREM Rugby Cup sixth round

Exeter Chiefs prop Josh Iosefa-Scott and full-back Josh Hodge will both make their return from injury this Saturday afternoon against Sale Sharks at Sandy Park.

The sixth round of the PREM Rugby Cup pits Pool A’s second placed Sale against fourth placed Chiefs. With multiple internationals on Guinness Six Nations duty, Chiefs hand opportunities to a number of youngsters in a side captained by Lewis Pearson.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “I think the Prem Cup block is very important for a multitude of reasons. We’ve got some members of our wider squad who need to play and get game minutes, but we also have some younger players who we’d like to give more of an opportunity to so that we can access where they’re at.”

The front row is a powerful one as Will Goodrick-Clarke packs down at loosehead to compliment the strength of Iosefa-Scott at tighthead as Julian Heaven starts at hooker.

Match captain Pearson partners Rusi Tuima in the second row. EURFC captain Finn Worley Brady starts on the flank with Martin Moloney and Richard Capstick rounds out the pack at number eight.

Tom Cairns comes into the starting line-up at scrum-half while Will Haydon-Wood slots into the fly-half shirt this weekend having been in the centres most recently. For the centre partnership this round, Chiefs turn to Will Rigg and Ben Hammersley.

The returning Hodge slots back in at full-back with Paul Brown-Bampoe and Campbell Ridl chalking up minutes on the wings.

Baxter said: “We’re anticipating a pretty tough game, they beat us comfortably up in Manchester in this competition. We’d like to think we can put a better performance in than we did on that day.

“We’ve spoken this week about ‘what group of players do we want to see’ and ensuring we get our emotional energy right and push forward in our cup campaign.”

Hooker Max Norey prepares to make his first appearance of the season as he is named on the bench with Khwezi Mona and Jimmy Roots. Having been on strong form for loan club Cornish Pirates, Alfie Bell comes into the side along with Oscar Beckerleg.

Scrum-half George Newman could make his Chiefs debut as he is named in the backs replacements with Ben Coen and Dan John.

The game kicks off at 15:00 in Devon with tickets still available on our website here.