Sport

Gareth Steenson insists Exeter Chiefs are a much different outfit to that of 12 months ago as they gear up for Saturday’s Aviva Premiership Final against Wasps at Twickenham.

Rob Baxter’s side booked a return trip to English Rugby HQ by sinking reigning Premiership and European champions Saracens 18-16 in a pulsating encounter at Sandy Park.

Sam Simmonds’ touchdown with just a minute remaining sent the Chiefs fans into pandemonium and ensured they would be heading back for a second successive appearance in English rugby’s showpiece event.

Whereas last year it was a...

More than 10,000 Exeter City fans have purchased tickets for the Sky Bet League Two play-off final in the first 24 hours of them going on sale. The Grecians booked their place in the final thanks a dramatic injury-time winner from Jack Stacey on Thursday night, which gave them a 6-5 aggregate victory over Carlisle United. That win set up match with Blackpool at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, May 28, for a place in League One next season and demand for tickets from City supporters has been high. Tickets for the game went on sale at 12pm on Friday and already 10,000 seats have been sold from...

Rob Baxter believes his Exeter Chiefs squad are better prepared for what lies ahead as they look to secure themselves a place in this season’s Aviva Premiership Final. Having advanced to Twickenham a year ago, only to lose out narrowly to double winners Saracens, Devon’s finest again find themselves within touching distance of another big day out in the capital. Whereas this time last year it was all new and unchartered waters for Baxter and his squad, this time round the Chiefs enter into tomorrow’s semi-final showdown against Saracens at Sandy Park (2:30pm), better equipped to handle the...

Exeter City midfielder Matt Oakley has announced that he will be retiring at the end of this season.

Matt, who has played nearly 200 games for the club over a five-and-a-half-year spell, began his career at Southampton and made his debut for the Saints towards the end of the 1994/95 season.

The 39-year-old midfielder has had a long and distinguished playing career. He played for Southampton for over a decade in the Premier League and guided them to the FA Cup final in 2003, before moving on to Derby County where he helped captain the Rams to promotion via the play-offs in...