Exeter Chiefs vs Bristol Prediction: Sandy Park record supplies faith in Chiefs

Exeter have won all four home league games this season and can extend that run when Bristol visit on Saturday (15:00, TNT Sports Extra). The Chiefs burnished their Sandy Park credentials by beating Cardiff 31-0 in the Challenge Cup last Sunday and now face a Bears side searching for their sixth straight league win.

They also won 61-49 at Bulls in the Champions Cup before last week's 27-15 defeat to European champions Bordeaux. Injuries remain an issue for boss Pat Lam, but he has two big players back available this week and his team have won the last three Gallagher Prem meetings, including October's 18-14 success at Ashton Gate.

Exeter won 22-17 when these two met in the Prem Rugby Cup in November and home advantage has served the Chiefs well this season.

Team news

Greg Fisilau was named in England's Six Nations squad on Friday and he comes into the Exeter team at number eight.

Bristol are boosted by the returns of flanker Steven Luatua and wing Gabriel Ibitoye.

Luatua, who hasn't played since October, starts in the number six shirt and Ibitoye will hope to make an impact from the bench, having been absent since the opening game of the season.

Matias Moroni also comes in at outside centre and lock Joe Owen is included among the replacements after signing a new long-term deal this week.

Exeter Chiefs vs Bristol Odds

Exeter are 4/7 for an eighth home win of the season, with the draw 22/1 and Bristol 7/5.

The pair's two previous meetings in 2025-26 have been decided by five and four points and the handicap mark is set at four, with Exeter-4 at 20/21.

Exeter to win by 1-12 points @ 2/1

Exeter had an awful 2024/25 as the reality of the decision to trim the wage bill by allowing several of their team who won the Champions Cup in 2020 leave in 2023 became apparent.

Those who stayed or have since emerged are repaying the faith shown in them and the Chiefs have been especially good at Sandy Park, where they have won all seven matches in all competitions.

The most recent of those was last Sunday's triumph over Cardiff in the Challenge Cup and they are backed to maintain their perfect record.

Bristol are the Prem's entertainers and began their European fortnight with a 61-49 win over Bulls at altitude in Pretoria.

Champions Cup holders Bordeaux proved too good last Sunday at a soggy Ashton Gate and more wet weather is forecast in Devon, while the wind could also be a factor.

Lam continues to work wonders amid his club's seemingly never-ending injury woes.

However, after a bruising couple of weeks, this match might prove one too far and Exeter are taken to grab another narrow victory.

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