EXETER Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter believes tomorrow’s Gallagher PREM home clash with leaders Northampton Saints (3.05pm) will be a ‘great test of where we are’.

The match-up, which sees back-rower Ethan Roots make his return for the Devonians on the bench, has serious implications for the top four standings as Saints currently lead the race on 52 points, seven ahead of fourth-placed Chiefs.

Looking ahead to the game, Baxter said: “This is a game we’ve been looking forward to for quite some time. They’re a very good team, playing very good rugby and leading the way in the Prem. It’ll be a great test of where we are.

“We feel pretty comfortable with where we are, we’re having a good season, so it’s the right stage of the season for us to face this test.

“The key for me is that we look competitive in every fixture. If we do that, we’re going to be around where we want to be which is top four, but we have to keep collecting points.”

Having all played a part in last weekend’s EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final win in Italy at Benetton, the front-row remains unchanged. Scott Sio starts at loosehead with Jimmy Roots on the tighthead and Jack Yeandle sandwiched between the two at hooker.

Italian international Andrea Zambonin marked his return to home soil with a try last Sunday and he starts in the second row with match captain Dafydd Jenkins.

The lethal combination of Tom Hooper, Ross Vintcent and Greg Fisilau is selected to start in the back-row, with Roots lying in wait on the bench for his return to contact.

The half-back and centre pairings also remain from last weekend. Stephen Varney starts at scrum-half, Harvey Skinner is at fly-half with Will Rigg and Henry Slade slotting into the midfield berths.

Following a late call-up to the starting line-up last weekend, Campbell Ridl again starts on the wing with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Olly Woodburn rounding out the back three.

Baxter added: “We need to do pretty much everything well. Our defensive record this season is very good and that will definitely be important in this game.

“More than anything, I think the key will be starting the game well. Northampton can race away with games very quickly if you have a poor 10-minute spell. Starting the game by getting our shape organised and making sure we’re on it physically in the contact area – that won’t be everything, but it’ll be very important in the game.”

Prop Bachuki Tchumbadze, who was the unlikely man to boot the ball into touch last weekend, is named alongside Ethan Burger and Joseph Dweba on the bench. Rusi Tuima joins Roots in the remaining forward spaces on the bench as Chiefs select a 5-3 split.

Electric winger Paul Brown-Bampoe recovers from his injury which ruled him out late on in Benetton to be selected alongside Tom Cairns and Will Haydon-Wood.

EXETER CHIEFS: Olly Woodburn; Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade, Will Rigg, Campbell Ridl; Harvey Skinner, Stephen Varney; Scott Sio, Jack Yeandle, Jimmy Roots; Daffyd Jenkins, Andrea Zambonin; Tom Hooper, Ross Vintcent, Greg Fisilau. Replacements: Joseph Dweba, Ethan Burger, Bachuki Tchumbadze, Rusi Tuima, Ethan Roots, Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood, Paul Brown-Bampoe.