| Date: Saturday 9 April Kick-off: 17:30 BST Venue: Sandy Park |
| Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Devon and online |
England trio Henry Slade, Sam Simmonds and Harry Williams return to the Exeter line-up to face Munster in the first leg of their Champions Cup last-16 tie.
Scotland forward Sam Skinner moves from the back row into the second row as Jannes Kirsten drops to the bench.
Munster are without fly-half Joey Carbery (knee/leg) and captain Peter O’Mahony (hamstring), but both are in contention for the return leg.
Wings Simon Zebo and Keith Earls return after missing the defeat by Leinster.
Ben Healy steps in at fly-half from the start, after doing so off the bench last weekend, while Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett and Alex Kendellen comprise an all-new back row for the visitors.
For the first time, progress to the quarter-finals will be decided by aggregate scores over two legs with Munster hosting the return match at Thomond Park on 16 April.
Ulster or defending champions Toulouse are the potential last-eight opposition for the tie’s winner.
Exeter and Munster are fourth in the Premiership and United Rugby Championship respectively, but are both previous winners of the Champions Cup.
Exeter lifted the title for the first time in 2020 while Munster were successful in 2006 and 2008.
What they say
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter: I want us to go out enjoy this first leg and stay on that upward trajectory that we’ve been building for the last few weeks.
Whenever you play Irish sides, you know you will be challenged in all areas, it’s one of their strengths.
Games between the two clubs have always been tight, sometimes coming down to goal kicking, and I’ve no doubt this could be the same.
Munster senior coach Stephen Larkham: They’ve got world class players and I think over the last month, they’ve found their game again.
We’ve analysed what we think is going to work against them, but they are a very dangerous side.
Match stats
- Exeter have conceded the most turnovers of any side in this season’s Champions Cup (52), while no team have forced more turnovers than Munster (29).
- Exeter’s Sam Simmonds is the tournament’s top try-scorer this season, having crossed on seven occasions so far.
Line-ups
Exeter: Hogg; Woodburn, Slade, Whitten, O’Flaherty; J Simmonds, S Maunder; Hepburn, Yeandle (c), Williams, Gray, S Skinner, Ewers, Vermeulen, S Simmonds
Replacements: Innard, Moon, Schickerling, Kirsten, Capstick, J Maunder, H Skinner, Hodge
Munster: Haley; Earls, Farrell, De Allende, Zebo; Healy, Murray; Loughman, Scannell, Archer; Kleyn, F Wycherley; O’Donoghue (c), Hodnett, Kendellen
Replacements: Barron, J Wycherley, Ryan, Jenkins, Ahern, Casey, Scannell, O’Sullivan
