Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to Start for Exeter in Prem Final

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso started for Exeter in the Prem final against Northampton on Saturday, having recovered from facial surgery less than three weeks earlier. The 23-year-old winger underwent surgery after injuring his jaw during Exeter's victory over Leicester, leading to him missing the win over Saracens and last week's semi-final clash with Bath. He replaced Paul Brown-Bampoe in one of two changes to the starting line-up.

Ethan Roots returned to the back row after passing head injury protocols, while Christ Tshiunza dropped to the bench. Northampton made one change to their squad as scrum-half Alex Mitchell, who had suffered a hamstring injury during a training camp with England, was included among the replacements after being cleared to play. The Saints retained the same starting side that defeated Leicester 45-31 during the semi-finals.

Captain George Furbank aimed to win the title in his last match for Northampton before moving to Harlequins this summer. With England internationals Fin Smith, Henry Pollock, and Tommy Freeman, the Saints possessed a strong roster, having suffered only three losses throughout the Premiership season.

Northampton entered the final with a slight advantage over Exeter in league encounters this season, having narrowly claimed a 35-28 victory over the Chiefs in March. Feyi-Waboso and Exeter had started the season with a 33-33 draw, where they showed resilience by coming back from a 33-7 halftime deficit, setting a positive tone for the season. In a thrilling comeback, Exeter had also made history as the first third-placed team to reach the final.

Northampton had an extra day to prepare as the table-toppers faced their East Midlands rivals a week prior. Exeter's journey back to Twickenham represented their first final appearance since 2021, where they suffered a defeat to Harlequins. This marked the end of a significant period for the club that had included six consecutive finals, winning two.

Last winning the title in 2024, Northampton had previously secured a dramatic final win in 2014 against Saracens. Phil Dowson, Northampton's director of rugby, expressed respect for Exeter’s powerful playing style, highlighting key players such as Skinner and Slade. Rob Baxter, Exeter's director of rugby, emphasized the need for his team to maintain pressure and to minimize Northampton's attacking opportunities.

The match lineup for Northampton included Furbank (captain), Freeman, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Hendy, Smith, and McParland amongst others. Exeter's side featured Woodburn, Feyi-Waboso, Slade, and Ikitau, among others. The referee for the finals was Matthew Carley.