Match Preview | Exeter

A trip to face the defending European champions awaits Glasgow Warriors this weekend, as Danny Wilson’s side travel to take on Exeter in their opening match of the 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup.

The two
teams have become familiar foes in recent seasons, having been grouped together
in three of the past seven campaigns.

Indeed
meetings between the pair have included some of Glasgow’s standout European memories,
with matches frequently hotly contested and boasting some unforgettable scores.

With the English
outfit having claimed a domestic and European double in 2019/20, however, there
will be no danger of the Warriors underestimating the task that lies in store.

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Here’s how
Exeter shape up ahead of Sunday’s clash:

Exeter
form guide

The English
champions have made a flying start to the defence of their title in 2020/21,
sitting top of the Premiership with a maximum 15 points from their three matches
so far.

An opening
night demolition of Harlequins saw Sam Simmonds run in a hat-trick of tries, as
Exeter cruised to a 33-3 victory at the Stoop.

A further six
tries followed in their first home match of the new season, Bath being put to
the sword 40-3 at Sandy Park at the end of November.

Rob Baxter’s
men were made to work slightly harder for their most recent victory, but still
emerged with a 35-13 win from a trip to Leicester Tigers last weekend.

Summer departures

A brace of
Exeter’s longest-serving players hung up their boots following the triumphant
2019/20 campaign, as Gareth Steenson and Phil Dollman each said their final
farewells to the Exeter faithful.

Matt Kvesic
and Sam Hill also departed in order to join Worcester Warriors and Sale Sharks
respectively, whilst the Warrior Nation welcomed Enrique Pieretto to Scotstoun
following his departure from Sandy Park.

Australian
duo Nic White and Dave Dennis were two more to pack their bags, with White
returning home to join the Brumbies and Dennis heading west to link up with the
LA Giltinis.

New
arrivals

Glasgow
supporters already know plenty about Exeter’s headline signing, following Jonny
Gray’s move to Sandy Park prior to the resumption of rugby earlier this year.

Fellow
Scotland cap Sam Hidalgo-Clyne joined him in making the switch to Devon, as the
scrum-half helped his new team to a first-ever European title after arriving
from Lyon.

Promising
young English full-back Josh Hodge was amongst a raft of youthful recruits to
join ahead of rugby’s restart, journeying south after impressing for Newcastle
Falcons in the Championship.

Ones to
watch

Overlooked
by England for the Autumn Nations Cup, Sam Simmonds has started the season with
the bit firmly between his teeth. The number eight has scored a remarkable six
tries in three matches so far this season, his pace and power causing havoc for
opposing defences.

Simmonds’ younger
brother Joe has also been catching the eye over the last couple of years; now a
co-captain of the club, the fly-half boasted the best kicking record in the
Heineken Champions Cup last season and is surely the next in line for an England
call-up.

In a team
that prides itself on forward power, Jannes Kirsten is potentially the prime
example. The South African – capable of playing in the second row or back row –
is a physical defender, as well as a bruising ball-carrier capable of
overpowering any player in his way.

Previous
Encounters

The two
teams were the pace setters in their Heineken Champions Cup pool last season,
with the Warriors the only team to prevent Exeter from winning in an otherwise
perfect European campaign.

The English
outfit claimed victory at Sandy Park back in November 2019, running in four
tries in a 34-18 win over their visitors.

When the two
sides met at Scotstoun in January 2020, however, the Warrior Nation were served
an instant European classic; an eight-try thriller eventually saw the points
shared, with Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, George Horne and Niko Matawalu all
crossing for Glasgow in a 31-31 draw.

Match
officials

Mathieu
Reynal will be the man in the middle at Sandy Park this weekend, following in
the footsteps of fellow French officials Pascal Gauzere and Romain Poite in
refereeing encounters between Glasgow Warriors and Exeter.

Adam Leal
and Anthony Woodthorpe will be his assistants, with Stuart Terheege on hand if
required as the Television Match Official.

Broadcast
information

The match is
live on BT Sport 2 this Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 3.15pm.

BBC Radio
Scotland will also have full commentary on FM, whilst you can follow all the
action as it happens in our Live Match Centre on glasgowwarriors.org.