London Welsh vs Exeter Chiefs - build-up, teams and match-day live thread

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Really looking forward to my first visit to the Kassam stadium, always think its fun to visit new grounds. This fixture looks like a potential banana skin for any premiership team, and Welsh's coach Lyn Jones will be keen to turn matters around for the Exiles on the field after two large losses. Hopefully Rob Baxter is the ideal pragmatic kind of DoR to guard against any complacency in the Chiefs' ranks. These two clubs have met many times before in the last 20 years or so when both were in the championship, but I suspect those results will not be much of a guide to Sunday's outcome.

Couple of injury blows for Exe in their narrow loss to Saints, with lock Aly Muldowney departing before half-time with mashed ribs, and flying winger Josh Tatupu, who has started the season in tremendous form having spent much of last year injured, being carried from the pitch with what looked to be a nasty ankle knock. With Gonzo Camacho away with Argentina still in TRC, Baxter will be more than happy to welcome Aussie Dean Mumm to Sandy Park on his arrival in the country yesterday. Hoani Tui is likely to be out for another month or so, so the ligind that is Chris Budgen will continue to deputise, covering Welsh international Craig Mitchell from the bench. Hoping that Jason Shoemark is recovered to take his position in the centre alongside Ulsterman Ian Whitten in what looks like a potentially very exciting partnership for Exe. Then either Phil Dollman drops back to 15, or else Luke Arscott retains the full back jersey with Dolly on the bench. Mark Foster, Nic Sestaret or young England U20 flyer Jack Arnott to the wing to replace Josh T

[LondonTiger]

I thought it was London Welsh v Exeter, not the other way round

LW will try and play a high tempo game quickly moving the point of contact. However, certainly against us, Gordon Ross just gummed everything up. Their best stuff was when he was not involved.

If Exeter give LW the same time and space they gave to Saints things will be interesting. However the LW setpiece and defence is not of the requisite quality, so play with ball in hand as you did against Sale and Saints and LW will be looking at another heavy defeat.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Good point, LT, will fix the title - my bad

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

We certainly didn't handle the Saints maul particularly well, so I imagine that Rob Baxter will be looking at maul defence this week. The Dollman-Whitten centre partnership didn't look as comfortable as Shoey-Whitten the week before, so that's a key one for me

[offload]

Only one result here I think. The Saints pack were very strong but I expect the Chiefs to bounce back. If Welsh are to get a win in the Aviva I doubt very much it will be against Exeter.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Confirmation that Josh Tatupu has broken his angle again in the early part of the season - still waiting to hear how bad of a break it is. This guy is seriously unlucky - he looked to have been in excellent form too, creating several of Chiefs' tries thus far

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Rob Baxter speaks in the WMN:

Pressure is all on Exiles

Exeter Chiefs will be favourites when they take on their former Championship rivals London Welsh this weekend, but head coach Rob Baxter insists the pressure is entirely on the Exiles.

The Devon side travel to Kassam Stadium on Sunday for their first meeting with Welsh since they gained promotion to the Aviva Premiership.

Chiefs will be expected to take their second win of the season, but Baxter and his men will take nothing for granted.

He said: "We haven't talked about complacency. Sometimes you can talk yourself into problems and we know every Premiership game is very tough. If you don't turn up in the right frame of mind, you will struggle.

"We've just got to go out and hit it flat out, and if we do that, we give ourselves a great chance.

"I don't think there is any more pressure on us. The team under pressure will be London Welsh, primarily because if you've got six points on the table after two games, you are in a much happier place than with no points.

"We will be expected to perform up there but at the same time we have to go after it like another Premiership game and keep the pressure on them."

While Chiefs have beaten Sale Sharks and come up just short against Northampton Saints this season, Welsh have endured heavy defeats against Leicester Tigers and Harlequins.

"They have come against two very good sides – my job on Sunday is to make sure they come up against a third good side," said Baxter.

"I've watched their games and I can see they are learning as they go along. They just need to learn at a speed that will keep them competitive.

"I can see things changing. They are solid up front, particularly in the scrum and that always gives you a way into the game.

"They use a pressure defence and they have some big hitters who can put pressure on you in the contact area.

"All those things can add up for you and make you a competitive side.

"All we asked for at the start of the season was to hit the games flat out and we will take whatever comes. What came at the weekend was a losing bonus point and we would have liked more but I can't fault our effort."

Chiefs will be without centre Jason Shoemark and wing Josh Tatupu but their absence is mitigated by the return to fitness of Sireli Naqelevuki.

Baxter said: "We are pretty much where we were last week. Jason Shoemark is still going to be a little way off. Other than that, we haven't got too many injury issues.

"Everyone is aware Josh Tatupu broke his ankle last weekend so we will have to make a change there which means a bit of a reshuffle. But Sireli is up and running and came off the bench last week."

Australia international lock Dean Mumm is settling in well at Sandy Park following his recent arrival. Baxter expects to add him to Chiefs' squad over the coming weeks.

Baxter said: "Dean is a talented guy with the ball in his hands and he is a good character. He has just got his head down and got on with things having been put through his paces by the conditioners.

"He was involved in some contacts, scrum work and line-outs this week. Dean is up and running quicker than we thought he would be. He has turned up in good condition and is pretty much ready to go.

"It is a little bit of a shame we haven't got an A League game this Monday. But he is just like every other player here and he will have to be patient and take his chance to prove to everyone what a good player he is.

"We got a couple of things wrong tactically [at Northampton] and that hurt in the first and last quarter. It was still our second game of the season and gives us something to work on and improve on."

Bad news that Shoey is also a wee way short of his comeback, but everyone else seems fit and Dean Mumm is settling in nicely

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

As expected a reshuffling in the backline:

15 Luke Arscott
14 Ian Whitten
13 Sireli Naqelevuki
12 Phil Dollman
11 Matt Jess
10 Ignacio Mieres
9 Will Chudley
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Chris Whitehead
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Tom Hayes (capt)
5 James Hanks
6 Tom Johnson
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Richard Baxter

16 Simon Alcott
17 Ben Moon
18 Carl Rimmer
19 Aly Muldowney
20 James Phillips
21 Kevin Barrett
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Jack Nowell

Great to see young England U20 player Jack Nowell get a bench slot

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

London Welsh: 15. Tom Arscott, 14. Phil Mackenzie*, 13. Sonny Parker*, 12. Hudson Tonga’uiha*, 11. Nick Scott, 10. Gordon Ross*, 9. Tyson Keats, 1. Frank Montanella*, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion*, 4 Jonathan Mills , 5. Matt Corker, 6. Daniel Browne, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Ed Jackson.

Replacements: 16. Dan George, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Kirill Kulemin*, 20. Alfie To’oala*, 21. Jonah Holmes, 22. James Lewis, 23. Seb Jewell.

[Dubbelyew L Overate]

So the Arscott brothers are re-united on a rugby pitch for the first time since 26th May 2010, when their Bristol team lost to Exeter in the Championship final. This time they're opposing full backs and Tom has looked to be one of Welsh's shining lights.

There are other echoes back to that season - Welsh were the only team to beat Exeter twice, once in the phoney league and once in the play-offs. Chief's hooker Chris Whitehead was in that victorious Welsh team, and there are 8 other survivors from the game in the Chiefs XXIII, with another 3 injured, and 4 in the Welsh squad with several others on the sidelines.

Carl Rimmer is promoted to the Exeter bench and will probably be playing his first competitive game since losing to Welsh in a Pirates shirt a few months ago. Sam Hill and Dave Ewers, both still dual-registered with the Pirates, will no doubt be cheering on their Exeter team-mates to avenge that defeat.

Jack Nowell has looked assured in pre-season and A games, despite playing out of position at centre, and fully deserves promotion ahead of seasoned campaigners Mark Foster and Nic Sestaret (2 more survivors from that game in 2010).

Chiefs, more than any other team, will be aware of the pitfalls of complacency and will know that Welsh should be improving with every game. It should be a comfortable win, but then so should have been that 16-15 loss at Esher in 2010.

[yappysnap]

Is that ex Harlequins Seb Jewell at 23 for Welsh?

[BigTrevsbigmac]

Is that ex Harlequins Seb Jewell at 23 for Welsh?

Yes via Wasps Yappy.

[Guest]

Great to see London Welsh securing their first win.

25-24 against Chiefs.

Gutted I didn't get to see any of it

[Effervescing Elephant]

Flip

Edit by RD - removed swear word

[HongKongCherry]

No need for that EE.

Well done Welsh, I'm sure you're not concerned you've ruined my Sport Guru! That result will make a fair few people take notice

[Effervescing Elephant]

every need for that HKC, wasn't your team that got beaten fella!

[Bathman_in_London]

Wow, well done welsh! Hopefully this will the first of many scalps, much better for the league rather than having a team completely adrift at the bottom like Rotherham were a few years ago.

[HongKongCherry]

every need for that HKC, wasn't your team that got beaten fella!

Well losing the newly promoted side 2 years ago in what was described as the greatest upset in AP history at the time I have every sympathy! Maybe, Welsh aren't that bad? Either way, we don't need that type of profanity on the site, but I can understand why you would be thoroughly hacked off.

[HammerofThunor]

Full game will be available on

www.premiershiprugby.tv from later on tonight

Well done Welsh for the win

[Effervescing Elephant]

wear filter didn't pick it up so it obviously isn't 'profanity'. Mum.

[Guest]

EE - it was clear profanity, please desist in future. Don't try and beat the swear filter. Ta.

[HongKongCherry]

EE I'll send you to bed without any tea at this rate!

[Effervescing Elephant]

Sorry guys, feeling a bit 'testy' at the mo! No one likes a loser.

[Effervescing Elephant]

And congrats to Welsh for a good win!

[HammerofThunor]

I remember what HongKongCherry was like when they lost to Exeter in their 1st game. Don't worry about it.

[Guest]

Dim probs EE

[HongKongCherry]

Sorry guys, feeling a bit 'testy' at the mo! No one likes a loser.

No probs. As Hammer says, I've been there, my mobile is still somewhere near junction 28 of the M5! (and will probably suffer the same result in a few weeks when we go to Welsh) You're still an excellent side

[HERSH]

Well played LW i didn't see that one coming!

[ChequeredJersey]

Well done Welsh, sorry Exeter but it's good for the competition that Welsh are competitive (obviously, that sounded like a tautologically statement). Thought this might be a match they'd make hard for the Chiefs. Never expected a win though

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Congrats to OW, an excellent second half performance, full of guts and determination, made them worthy winners, no question

As to Exe, simply an atrocious day at the office, a performance littered with silly mistakes and coughing up the ball in a myriad of ways to the eager Exiles. The opening 10 minutes was possibly the worst thing that could have happened - racing a way to a 14-0 lead and the lads seemed to go to sleep. To cap a shoite day, nasty injuries to Craig Mitchell and Tom Johnson have now deprived us of two of our key players

[Guest]

Ah no Asbo, tis not Mitchell's shoulder again is it? Hope they aren't long term injuries for you guys.

[ChequeredJersey]

What's happened to Johnson?

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Ah no Asbo, tis not Mitchell's shoulder again is it? Hope they aren't long term injuries for you guys.

Looked like it, Shovey, he went off holding his arm tightly against his chest

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

What's happened to Johnson?

Stretchered off and away in an ambulance, CJ - not sure what the injury was as I occurred at the bottom of a ruck, but I'm suspecting arm, shoulder or collar badly broken, he was in serious pain

[thebluesmancometh]

Really hope it wasn't Mitchells shoulder, wasn't he being lined up for the AI's???

[ChequeredJersey]

Ah bugger, not good for England, though maybe Haskell will get back into the EPS. Good luck with the injuries, ASBO, I fear whoever you'll face next will get a bit of a backlash

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

This fixture looks like a potential banana skin for any premiership team

I feicin hate being feicin right

[Guest]

Ah no Asbo, tis not Mitchell's shoulder again is it? Hope they aren't long term injuries for you guys.

Looked like it, Shovey, he went off holding his arm tightly against his chest

Ah crumbs. He's injured it badly twice before (am assuming it was his left one?) and needed operations. Not a good sign at all if it's gone again

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Ah bugger, not good for England, though maybe Haskell will get back into the EPS. Good luck with the injuries, ASBO, I fear whoever you'll face next will get a bit of a backlash

Sarries at home next Sunday - bliwdy hope that there is some kind of response. The makeshift backline looked just that tbh, we really miss Shoemark - he's not a star, but he holds it all together

[ChequeredJersey]

Oh in which case all the best of luck I shall be strongly strongly rooting for you, ASBO

[doctor_grey]

Don't think anyone saw this coming. Especially Exeter. Did anyone see it? Were London/Oxford that good? Or was Exe that bad? I would have to believe London Irish are just beginning to get the sweats.

[ChequeredJersey]

I predicted Exeter would only narrowly win

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Don't think anyone saw this coming. Especially Exeter. Did anyone see it? Were London/Oxford that good? Or was Exe that bad? I would have to believe London Irish are just beginning to get the sweats.

Dr_G, Exe were abysmal, and Welsh did what they needed to in order to secure the win

[doctor_grey]

Cripe. Turns everything on its head, eh? Shocking.

[Effervescing Elephant]

It. Still. Hurts.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

It. Still. Hurts.

+1

Am going to watch it on Prem TV tonite to see if that helps

[Effervescing Elephant]

Don't do it As, it's a particularly unedifying sight. Still, got an easy one this weekend to make up for it...

[Moorsman]

Ah no Asbo, tis not Mitchell's shoulder again is it? Hope they aren't long term injuries for you guys.

The good news is it's not his shouloder, the bad news - it's a ruptured bicep and he'll be out for 3 months! Leaves us a bit thin in the tighthead department and the injury list is growing.

[Guest]

Ah no Asbo, tis not Mitchell's shoulder again is it? Hope they aren't long term injuries for you guys.

The good news is it's not his shouloder, the bad news - it's a ruptured bicep and he'll be out for 3 months! Leaves us a bit thin in the tighthead department and the injury list is growing.

cheers for the update, read that he was out for 3 months but wasn't sure what with, really horrible for him

What guys have you got to cover?

Scarlets share your pain with front row injury worries, although ours are on the LH side!

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Ah no Asbo, tis not Mitchell's shoulder again is it? Hope they aren't long term injuries for you guys.

The good news is it's not his shouloder, the bad news - it's a ruptured bicep and he'll be out for 3 months! Leaves us a bit thin in the tighthead department and the injury list is growing.

cheers for the update, read that he was out for 3 months but wasn't sure what with, really horrible for him

What guys have you got to cover?

Scarlets share your pain with front row injury worries, although ours are on the LH side!

Tui is also out, so that leaves us with the evergreen Budgie and young Carl Rimmer (signed from Pirates over the summer)

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