Exeter v Newcastle: Teams

Newcastle have made just one change from the side which defeated London Wasps last weekend, as they embark on the longest Aviva Premiership trip of the season to Exeter.

Outside centre Rob Vickerman comes into the team in place of Andy Henderson in the only personnel change from the 29-17 home victory.

There is also a positional switch as Luke Eves moves from outside to inside centre.

Lock forward James Hudson once again skippers the Falcons.

Lesson

"It will be a tough game," said coach Alan Tait, ahead of his side's Sandy Park debut.

"Everyone that watched them play at Leicester last weekend on the TV, their eyes would have been popping out.

"They are nowhere near as bad as people were saying before the start of the season, they scored some great tries in the backs and cut Leicester to pieces.

"To be fair Leicester looked like they turned up thinking that it was going to be easy, so I think that's a lesson for anyone.

"There is no doubt about it, there is no hiding from the fact that Exeter would have targeted us in the pre-season, saying that this is a Cup final and it's the same for us. We look at them as a mini Cup final."

Meanwhile, Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter insists Saturday's clash with Newcastle is the club's "biggest game of the season so far".

Although the Chiefs opened up with a 22-10 victory over visiting Gloucester, before then forcing defending champions Leicester to hit back from a 27-16 deficit to win 37-27, it's the impending visit of the Falcons which is uppermost in the mind of Baxter.

Emotional

With two notable performances already under their belts, Baxter is well aware that those displays have already set a high benchmark for his players who must now replicate their efforts not only this weekend, but in the coming weeks and months.

"In a lot of ways I think this is the biggest game of the three," said Baxter.

"That emotional build up we had for the Gloucester and Leicester games was a big part of how well we did, now we have got to make sure we show that same emotion, attitude and work ethic in our second home game."

Baxter has stuck with the same starting XV for the third game on the bounce, but there are changes on the bench where Samoan international Junior Poluleuligaga returns after a hamstring injury in place of James Honeyben, while summer signing Andrew Higgins comes into the squad for the first time in place of Matt Jess.

Exeter: 15 Luke Arscott, 14 Nic Sestaret, 13 Phil Dollman, 12 Bryan Rennie, 11 Mark Foster, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Haydn Thomas, 8 James Phillips, 7 James Scaysbrook, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 James Hanks, 4 Tom Hayes (c), 3 Hoani Tui, 2 Neil Clark, 1 Brett Sturgess.
Replacements: 16 Simon Alcott, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Chris Budgen, 19 Dave Gannon, 20 Chad Slade, 21 Junior Poluleuligaga, 22 Ryan Davis, 23 Andrew Higgins.

Newcastle: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Gcobani Bobo, 13 Rob Vickerman, 12 Luke Eves, 11 Charlie Amesbury, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Micky Young, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Redford Pennycook, 6 Brent Wilson, 5 Tim Swinson, 4 James Hudson (c), 3 Tim Ryan, 2 Rob Vickers, 1 Jon Golding.
Replacements: 16 Kieran Brookes, 17 Micky Ward, 18 Grant Shiells, 19 Glen Townson, 20 Will Welch, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 Jeremy Manning, 23 Luke Fielden