Racing Post

Chiefs can edge heavyweight clash

By Graham Woods

Exeter v Saracens BT Sport 2, 3pm

SARACENS visit Exeter for the first time in two years and of all the fixtures Sarries would have been looking forward to on their Premiership return, this will have been top of the list.

These teams met in three Premiership finals in four years from 2016 to 2019, before Saracens’ point deduction and relegation ended their head-tohead title tussle.

Sarries, who won all three of those finals, are showing greater purpose this season, riding high in second with just one defeat in eight, a last-gasp loss at leaders Leicester.

Nonetheless, despite their occasional wobbles at the start of this campaign, Exeter can plunder the points in this showdown.

Bookmakers can barely split the two and while it’s unusual for Exeter to be close to evenmoney at home, they have won just one of four league matches on their own turf.

The forward exchanges will be critical on this occasion but while the packs look well matched, Exeter may have an edge on the bench. The Chiefs’ backline is also in good shape with Joe Simmonds returning at fly-half, while Sarries continue with Alex Goode at ten in the absence of Owen Farrell.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter pointed to his team’s grit and determination in a 23-16 success at Bath last week and they will need plenty of that to get past Sarries.

However, the visitors struggled to pull away against Sale last week, when they led 13-0 against 14 men and ended up posting a 25-14 success, while before that they threw away a 34-8 lead to draw 34-34 with London Irish.

Four of Exeter’s five wins have been by ten points or fewer, and they can claim another narrow success.

BEST BET

Exeter to win by one to 12 points 1pt 15-8 Betfair, Betfred

RESULTS

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2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

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