Exeter Vs Northampton Set for PREM Cup Semi-Final This Sunday
Sunday 8 March, 2026 at 1: 30 p. m. ET Exeter Chiefs will host Northampton Saints in the PREM Rugby Cup semi-final at Sandy Park, staging exeter vs northampton in a direct knockout that sends the winner through to the competition final.
Saints reached this stage after four successive bonus-point wins and this is their first PREM Rugby Cup semi-final since 2023; the final is set for Sunday, March 15 at the home of the highest-ranked side from the pool stages, raising the stakes for both teams this weekend.
Exeter Vs Northampton: Chiefs Confirm Yeandle to Captain, Slade in Centres
Exeter name Jack Yeandle as captain with Henry Slade and Olly Woodburn included as experienced starters. Will Goodrick-Clarke begins at loosehead prop, with Yeandle and Jimmy Roots taking the tighthead slot. The second-row pairing is an all-Chiefs academy combination of Lewis Pearson and Rusi Tuima, while the back row features Martin Moloney, Finn Worley Brady and Greg Fisilau.
Tom Cairns and Harvey Skinner occupy the half-back positions, with Slade partnered by Zack Wimbush in the centres. Woodburn and Paul Brown-Bampoe take the wing berths and Josh Hodge starts at full-back. On the bench, Ethan Burger returns to match fitness and is named alongside Julian Heaven and Khwezi Mona in the replacement front row; Joe Bailey and Oscar Beckerleg cover the second and back-row, while Charlie Chapman, Will Haydon-Wood and Campbell Ridl are the backs named among the replacements.
Northampton Saints Name Callum Chick to Lead, Kemeny Returns
Northampton start Callum Chick at No. 8 with Josh Kemeny making his first appearance since January and 19-year-old flanker Charlie Ulcoq selected for his fourth match of the season. Tom Lockett partners JJ Van Der Mescht in the second row; Van Der Mescht carried the ball some 56 metres in Saints’ previous outing.
Northampton make two front-row changes with Henry Walker at hooker and Luke Green at tighthead alongside Tom West. Archie McParland and Anthony Belleau reunite at scrum-half and fly-half while Rory Hutchinson returns from Scotland camp to pair with Tom Litchfield in the centres. James Ramm and James Martin retain the wing partnership and George Hendy starts at fullback; Curtis Langdon is named among the replacements as he moves toward a return from a shoulder injury, joined on the bench by guests Joe Cowell and Will Davies-King on loan from Cardiff.
With exeter vs northampton marking the sides’ second meeting this season after a 33-33 draw earlier in the campaign, both teams have made tactical selections that reflect recent form and availability.
Semi-Final Stakes at Sandy Park and Broadcast Details
The match kicks off at Sandy Park at 1: 30 p. m. ET. Adults’ tickets are listed from £15 with kids from £1, and the game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports. Exeter’s director of rugby, Rob Baxter, highlighted Northampton’s ability to build momentum and score from multiple areas, framing the contest as a test of reaction and control for the Chiefs.
Northampton head coach Vesty has urged his players to seize the opportunity, stressing a balance between game time and rewarding the squad that reached the semi-final, and Saints arrive off a strong run of form in the pool stages that left them second in Pool B behind Leicester Tigers.
The semi-final kicks off Sunday 8 March, 2026 at 1: 30 p. m. ET; if either Exeter Chiefs or Northampton Saints progress, the PREM Rugby Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, March 15 at the home of the highest-ranked side from the pool stages.
