Preview: Bath vs Exeter Chiefs - prediction, team news, lineups

Bath welcome Exeter Chiefs to the Recreational Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the second and final Premiership Rugby playoff semi-final tie this weekend.

The Blue, Black and Whites rounded of their regular campaign by narrowly defeating Leicester Tigers 24-22, while the Chiefs swept past playoff chasing Saracens at Sandy Park.

Match preview

After losing the West Country derby against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate, Bath knew that they had to avoid defeat against Leicester last weekend to confirm a home playoff semi-final.

The Blue, Black and Whites started off slow, conceding the first try of the match after only three minutes, but they fought back and held off a late Tigers siege to claim a vital 24-22 win.

A win on the final day meant they finished second in the table, claiming their third home semi-final in as many years and giving Johann van Graan’s side the chance to become the first team since Saracens in 2019 to retain the Premiership crown.

However, to do so Bath will certainly have to swat away their patchy run of form, with their 13 points over the previous five matches the seventh best tally in the division and five fewer than Saturday’s opposition over that stretch.

In the most recent meeting between these sides at the Rec, the hosts came out on top, capitalising on an early Campbell Ridl red card to run out 33-26 winners, their fourth successive home league victory against the Chiefs.

© Imago / Pro Sports Images

Following their pulsating 35-26 win against playoff rivals Leicester at Welford Road a fortnight ago, Exeter needed at least three points in their final league match to finish in the Premiership’s top four places.

Stood in their way was a contest with Saracens at Sandy Park, which the Chiefs passed with flying colours, dispatching Mark McCall’s men 32-12 after an emphatic second-half performance.

With Leicester also falling to defeat against Saturday’s opponents, Rob Baxter’s men leapfrogged the Tigers into third place, setting up their contest with van Graan’s men this weekend.

After a period of struggles, including a dismal ninth-place finish last season, the Chiefs’ top four qualification outlines huge progression, with their most recent playoff participation coming in a 40-38 final defeat to Harlequins five years ago.

Going into Saturday’s match second in the league's form chart and having been victorious in three of their latest four fixtures against Bath, the Chiefs will certainly be optimistic that they can reach their seventh Premiership final of the previous decade.

Bath Premiership Rugby form:

Exeter Chiefs Premiership Rugby form:

Team News

© Imago / PPAUK

Bath have named a pair of changes to the scrum that faced Leicester at the Rec last weekend with Tom Dunn and Quinn Roux replacing Kepueli Tuipulotu and Ted Hill, who both drop to the bench.

Across the backline, the hosts remain the same though, with Henry Arundell and Joe Cokanasiga either side of Max Ojomoh, who is set to make his 100th Bath appearance, and Ollie Lawrence in the centre.

The big blow for van Graan is being without star man Finn Russell at fly-half once again as the Scottish international continues to be out with a calf injury.

As for the the Chiefs, they have made just the one change in the pack with Ethan Roots missing out after a head knock against Saracens and being replaced by Greg Fisilau, who returns from being sidelined himself.

The visitors lineup with the same set of backs that played last week too, with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso missing out due to a facial injuy.

Bath starting lineup:

15 De Glanville, 14 Cokanasiga, 13 Lawrence, 12 Ojomoh, 11 Arundell, 10 Carreras, 9 Spencer; 1 Obano, 2 Dunn, 3 Du Toit, 4 Roux, 5 Ewels, 6 Bayliss, 7 Underhill, 8 Barbeary

Replacements:

16 Tuipulotu, 17 Van Wyk, 18 Sela, 19 Molony, 20 Hill, 21 Van der Linde, 22 Redpath, 23 Reid

Exeter Chiefs starting lineup:

15 Woodburn, 14 Brown-Bampoe, 13 Slade, 12 Ikitau, 11 Ridl, 10 Skinner, 9 Varney; 1 Sio, 2 Norey, 3 Iosefa-Scott, 4 Jenkins, 5 Zambonin, 6 Hooper, 7 Tshiunza, 8 Fisilau

Replacements:

16 Dweba, 17 Burger, 18 Tchumbadze, 19 Tuima, 20 Vincent, 21 Cairns, 22 Wimbush, 23 Hammersley

We say: Bath 23-20 Exeter Chiefs

The Chiefs have hit form at just the right time, beating two of the division's form teams to book their spot in the final four and having beaten them just one month ago, will be confident they can carry on that streak against Bath.

However, we think that although they have struggled for consistency in recent weeks, the Blue, Black and Whites will perform when it matters and send their West Country rivals back to Devon empty handed.