Exeter Chiefs vs Sale Prediction: Hosts can drag Sharks into deep water

There's only one round left of Gallagher Premiership action this season and the race for the play-offs looks to be going down to the wire as Exeter Chiefs host Sale on Saturday afternoon (15:05, live on TNT Sports Extra).

Read on for my Exeter Chiefs vs Sale prediction, featuring the latest odds and team news.

Exeter Chiefs vs Sale Odds

With Exeter out of the playoff picture, it comes as no surprise to see them listed as 18/5 outsiders this weekend. The draw is available at 22/1, while Sale are 1/5 favourites to secure the win they need for a playoff spot.

The handicap line has been set at 12 points, with Sale 10/11 to cover the -12 line.

Team News

Exeter winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will not feature against Sale having recently undergone shoulder surgery. However, director of rugby Rob Baxter believes he will still be able to feature for England this summer.

Captain and lock Dafydd Jenkins is set for surgery on his back next week, which means he will miss Wales' tour to Japan this summer.

Chiefs centre Will Rigg is also going to miss Saturday's encounter after having an operation on his foot, with the club expecting him to be out for three to four months.

Sale's Tom Curry missed last week's 41-27 success over Bristol Bears due to a minor hamstring injury and will look to return, while Luke Cowan-Dickie will need to overcome a leg problem to feature.

Hooker Tommy Taylor will play no part, with Sale confirming earlier this week that he has been forced to retire due to a back injury.

Sale -11.5 @ 5/6

Sale can still qualify for the play-offs and a home semi-final even if they fail to win, as long as other results go their way.

However, the Sharks will travel to the south-west with a point to prove this weekend.

Alex Sanderson's team have reached the play-offs in each of the past two seasons, and they will fancy their chances of improving that record.

While Sale are the only team left in contention for the play-offs that are playing away from home in Round 18, they face an Exeter team that cannot wait for the campaign to end.

Exeter recently handed Baxter the coaching reins after a staff overhaul and the Chiefs have shown a bit more resilience since then.

They were hammered 79-17 at the end of April by Gloucester, but they have since beaten Northampton Saints 42-14, while they narrowly lost 24-22 to Harlequins last week.

Sale have won two of the last three meetings between the two sides, while they have won five of their last six in the league.

Their need for a win is greater than Exeter's and their recent form suggests they will overpower their hosts this weekend.

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