Baxter: Admits to nerves

Exeter return to Sandy Park after a battling display in defeat against Perpignan last week gained them an important bonus point.

A five-point maximum against Prato would set up next month's home-and-away appointments with unbeaten Pool Four leaders Newport Gwent Dragons, but Chiefs head coach Baxter is taking nothing for granted against the Italians.

"I am a little bit nervous, primarily because we have set ourselves up for a difficult game," he said.

"Last week we went to Perpignan, we played very well and came through what was a very tough game.

"What that result means, however, is that Saturday's game is now even more important. With Prato losing at home themselves (against the Dragons), it means they will come here with only one target, which is simply to get points on the board.

"It won't matter to them how they do it. They will come and fight for their lives, and that in itself will make it a tough game for us.

"What we have seen of them is that they are a side that play a bit of rugby and a side who like to get stuck into you, so that makes them a dangerous proposition."

Baxter has retained just two players from the Chiefs team that started the defeat to Perpignan.

Ben White and Josh Tatupu remain in the starting XV from that which took to the field at the Stade Aime Giral, with Baxter choosing to give a number of his young 'A' team stars a chance.

Exeter: Nowell, Tatupu, Sestaret, Dollman, Foster, Mieres, Thomas, Moon, Alcott, Mitchell, Bentley, Muldowney, Ewers, White, Phillips.

Replacements: Clark, Cowan-Dickie, Andress, Slade, Johnson, Barrett, Steenson, Dorrian.

Cavalieri: Ngwaini, Murgier, Majstorovic, Von Grumbkov, Tempestini, Chiesa, di Vignale, Ryan, Lupetti, Garfagnoli, Cazzola, Kolo'ofai, Leonardi, Belardo, Saccardo.

Replacements: Balboni, Giovanchelli, Bernini, Boscolo, Patelli, Frati, Lunardi, Borsi.