After last week’s dramatic semi-finals, is it too much to ask for more of the same as the Premiership reaches its climax this weekend?
Could we see the continuing fairytale story of Exeter’s well-managed rise through English Rugby, with the Chiefs going one better than last season to lift the trophy?
Or will it be redemption for Wasps after upsetting so many fans by relocating to Coventry with the promise of a brighter future?
It’s a very tough pick on Superbru, and there’s not much between the teams, but I am leaning towards Exeter to win. That come-from-behind win over Saracens last week took incredible courage when many teams would have been resigned to their fate, and in my head it has put them into a different category of team.
They have always been well-coached, ambitious, tough to beat and ferociously competitive, but their unbeaten run and that semi-final win makes them winners.
The Chiefs have not beaten Wasps this season – they lost by 5 on the opening day of the season, and then drew at home in February – but they did beat them twice last year. Add to that the fact that they haven’t lost a league game since October, plus their added confidence from beating Saracens, means I’m going to pick them to win the trophy.
My Superbru pick: Exeter by 2
Paddy Power: Exeter by 1
Average Superbru prediction: Wasps by 0.49 (Wasps 52.91%, Exeter 46.99%
How do you see the game going?
Exeter team:
15 Phil Dollman
14 Jack Nowell
13 Ian Whitten
12 Ollie Devoto
11 Olly Woodburn
10 Gareth Steenson (capt)
9 Stuart Townsend
1 Ben Moon
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
3 Harry Williams
4 Dave Dennis
5 Geoff Parling
6 Kai Horstmann
7 Don Armand
8 Thomas Waldrom
16 Jack Yeandle
17 Carl Rimmer
18 Tomas Francis
19 Mitch Lees
20 Sam Simmonds
21 Will Chudley
22 Henry Slade
23 Michele Campagnaro
Wasps team:
15. Willie Le Roux
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliot Daly
12. Jimmy Gopperth
11. Josh Bassett
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Dan Robson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Phil Swainston
4. Joe Launchbury (c)
5. Matt Symons
6. James Haskel
7. Thomas Young
8. Nathan Hughes
16. Ashley Johnson
17. Simon McIntyre
18. Marty Moore
19. Kearnan Myall
20. Guy Thompson
21. Joe Simpson
22. Alapati Leiua
23. Frank Halai
Nice to be able to bring on Slade and Campagnaro
Exeter may not have beaten Wasps this season, but equally Wasps were unable to finish off a 14man Exeter either. About as tight to call as it gets – but hopefully with recent tryscoring records to hand, regardless of result this could be a final with plenty of whitewash-crossing involved. Come on the Chiefs!
Wasps will be hurt by losing Beale but will come out the blocks quickly.
Chiefs have been notoriously slow starters this season but always seem to claw it back.
Tough to call but I think Chiefs will get ahead and Wasps may drop off 2nd half.
Ballsy I know but I am saying Chiefs by 11!
Have to say, i am going with Exeter by at least a score – 11 seems fair AndyP !
For all of their remaining talent out back, I think Wasps will really miss Beale.
I just hope that the 3 Lions make it through (26c forecast!).
Aviva Premiership Sucks Ass. Zebre could beat this riffraff.
Thanks for that great insight. Brilliant stuff.