Pace and power in the backs (From South Wales Argus)

Pace and power in the backs

11:30am Friday 20th November 2009

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Newport will be facing a fully professional outfit tonight that has yet to taste defeat this season, writes Drew Hill.

Exeter may not be bringing their first choice pack, but there’s plenty of pace and creativity in the backline which the Black and Ambers will have to watch closely.

The Chiefs have trimmed their squad since last season when they had almost 50 players on their books but they still possess an enviable strength in depth.

This is demonstrated by the fact that even though they are resting many of their front-line players for tonight’s match they still field a side which poses a stern test.

Chiefs will field a second string pack tonight, the front row have only four starts between them this season and the back row only three.

James Hanks is the only survivor from the pack which started the match against Cornish Pirates last week but home fans will be more interested in his second-row partner, former Newport Gwent Dragons player Sean Tomes.

The tight five have yet to feature together as a unit all season, an area Newport will surely look to target.

Exeter’s strength is their back line and their line-up looks strong for tonight’s encounter.

Paul Mackenzie, who has scored four tries this season, and Sean Marsden survive from the side that beat the Pirates 22-15 last weekend.

Mackenzie, normally deployed in the centre, starts on the wing with Marsden at fullback.

Nic Sestaret on the other wing has a point to prove having struggled for form recently but he is a fiery performer and on his day is difficult to handle.

Newport should draw some hope from the Chiefs’ line-up for this match and if they can dominate up front they have every chance of making life hard for their visitors.

However if they are dominated in that department and Exeter get quick ball they have enough quality in their back line to put the Black and Ambers to the sword, much like they’ve done to every other side they’ve faced so far this season.

EXETER: 15 Sean Marsden, 14 Nic Sestaret, 13 Bryan Rennie, 12 Tom Bedford, 11 Paul McKenzie, 10 Danny Gray, 9 Clive Stuart-Smith, 1 Ben Moon, 2 Saul Nelson, 3 Ruaidhri Murphy, 4 Sean Tomes, 5 James Hanks, 6 Alan Miller (capt), 7 Andy Miller, 8 Michael Stupple. Replacements: Jack Andrew, Sam Blythe, Toby Freeman, Lewis Calder, Dave Ewers, Richard Bolt, Matt Cornwell

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