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Will Chudley had only just trooped off the Sandy Park pitch following a first-ever Aviva Premiership win over Bath, but already the Exeter Chiefs scrum-half was focusing his thoughts on the next task in hand.

The Chiefs clocked up their third successive top flight victory on Saturday, as 11 points from the boot of Henry Slade and Chudley's late try helped secure a 16-6 victory against their nearest and dearest.

Exeter's success helped to propel Rob Baxter's side back into the top three with just six rounds of domestic league action remaining.

And next up for the...

Exeter Chiefs 16 Bath Rugby 6 - Match report.

It had to happen one day, but Exeter Chiefs finally banished their ‘Bath hoodoo’ by defeating their local rivals in a pulsating Aviva Premiership encounter at a sold-out Sandy Park.

Having failed to defeat their nearest and dearest in nine previous top flight attempts, Rob Baxter’s men stood tall to claim a priceless victory that lifted them to third in the current standings.

Fly-half Henry Slade slotted three penalties for the home side, as well as converting Will Chudley’s all-important try, six minutes from time....

Exeter Chiefs will be looking to maintain their winning sequence in the Aviva Premiership when they play host to rivals Bath at a sold-out Sandy Park today (Saturday 3:15pm). Successive victories over Newcastle Falcons and Harlequins have ensured Rob Baxter's men remain firmly in the mix at the top end of the table, but with a clutch of clubs equally well placed around them, the need to secure vital league points has never been more apparent. Standing in the way, however, of Devon's finest will be second-placed Bath, who themselves have suffered a blip in form with back-to-back defeats...

Stuart Lancaster has named Jack Nowell in his starting side to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 3pm, live one BBC One).

Another new face is full back Alex Goode, who starred in the 12-6 triumph last time England were in Dublin, starts his first Test for two years after replacing Harlequins' Mike Brown.

Nowell – in scintillating domestic form with Exeter Chiefs – is preferred to Gloucester Rugby's Jonny May as the only two unbeaten teams in the RBS 6 Nations go head-to-head.

In the only other change to the England match-day 23 that defeated Italy...