Immanuel Feyi-Waboso looks set to return as Exeter prepare for the exeter vs munster EPCR Challenge Cup round-of-16 tie at Sandy Park on Saturday with a 12: 30 ET kick-off. The England winger has been absent since injuring his hamstring while training with England ahead of the Six Nations and last played in Exeter’s Premiership defeat at Bristol on 24 January. Exeter’s director of rugby says Feyi-Waboso is back in full training and available for selection, making his return the headline development ahead of the knockout meeting with Munster.
Exeter Vs Munster: Team News and Lineups
Exeter have named a full matchday 23 for the knockout clash at Sandy Park. Feyi-Waboso will feature in the back-three with Paul Brown-Bampoe and Olly Woodburn. Samoan international Scott Sio starts at loosehead for a second straight week while Jack Yeandle is selected at hooker and Jimmy Roots packs down at tighthead after being nominated for player of the day in last weekend’s trip to Newcastle.
Dafydd Jenkins returns from a mandated week’s rest to captain the side and partner Andrea Zambonin in the second row. The back row is led by Tom Hooper, who starts after consecutive player-of-the-month recognition, supported by Ross Vintcent and Greg Fisilau. Stephen Varney and Harvey Skinner start at scrum-half and fly-half following a try and a try assist respectively in the previous match. Henry Slade returns following the birth of his daughter to line up in midfield with Will Rigg.
On the bench, Joseph Dweba, Ethan Burger and Bachuki Tchumbadze provide front-row cover. Finn Worley Brady is named for his first EPCR Challenge Cup appearance, partnered with Rusi Tuima to cover the back five of the scrum. Tom Cairns and Will Haydon-Wood provide half-back cover while Campbell Ridl waits to bring energy when called upon. The game kicks off at 12: 30 ET on Saturday at Sandy Park.
Immediate Reactions
Rob Baxter, director of rugby, Exeter Chiefs, underlined the importance of availability when describing Feyi-Waboso’s progress: “We’ve just got to see how he goes through training, but he was in pretty much full training last week, he’s in full training this week, so that makes him available to play. “
Baxter warned of the specific challenge Munster present and set the tone for a physical, tense contest: “Munster are a very proud European side. We’ve had some fierce contests with them in the past and it’s certainly not going to be any different this weekend. Our challenge will be to get ourselves on the field and firing the first shots. It’ll be about who can set the intensity, throw their punches first and get their momentum in the game. ” He added a tactical caution: “You have to be careful that you don’t get pulled into an organised chaos type of game, where they’re so competitive in so many areas that you get rattled out of your game-plan and end up in a chaotic environment around the breakdown and the kicking game. “
What’s Next
With Feyi-Waboso back in full training and named for the match, Exeter head into the knockout fixture hoping to arrest a run of injuries and build momentum as they aim to progress in the EPCR Challenge Cup. The immediate focus will be on execution from kick-off at 12: 30 ET on Saturday and on whether Exeter can impose their game-plan against a team Baxter describes as intent on dragging opponents into a frenetic European contest. Expect selection confirmations and final injury checks across the squad in the hours before the exeter vs munster kick-off.
