London Irish v Exeter (Sat)

London Irish welcome back England international Delon Armitage from his eight-week Rugby Football Union ban.

Armitage was found guilty of making physical contact with a drugs-testing official and using foul language after the game with Bath on New Year’s Day.

Exeter are out to build on their 30-9 home win over Northampton a fortnight ago as they bid to leapfrog Irish.

Coach Rob Baxter makes three changes, recalling lock James Hanks, centre Jason Shoemark and winger Matt Jess.

Exeter’s stunning Premiership debut campaign could yet have a fairytale finish.

The pre-season relegation favourites have not only made a mockery of those odds, but established themselves as genuine top-flight material by winning half their 16 league games so far.

And they visit the Madejski Stadium just seven points outside the play-off zone.

Irish will be out to complete the double over Exeter, following their 12-9 win at Sandy Park back in October – one of only three home defeats the Chiefs have suffered.

London Irish winger Delon Armitage:

“I’ve got to work as hard as I can to get myself back into the London Irish team and try to get us where we should be.

“We’ve under-achieved in these last few games, and we know we are a better team than that.

“We want to push for a higher spot in the league, and that is hopefully what we will start doing this weekend. I still believe we have a good enough team to reach the top four. We must believe we can get there.”

Exeter fly-half Gareth Steenson:

“If you had given us this position at the start of the season we would have snatched at it.

“All season, we’ve not really focused on where we are in the league or how many points we have got.

“For sure we are a much better side than that which took to the field in the first game against Gloucester, so that’s a massive thing for us.”

Exeter lock forward James Hanks:

“These are the kind of games you want to be involved in, with 20,000 people in a fantastic stadium.

“They’ve got a really strong squad. They’ve got international players across the park, so we’re going to have to be right on top of our game.

“They have had a tough season in the Heineken Cup and with international call-ups but they’re still in the mix. I don’t think there’s anyone out of the top six who are out of it.”

Exeter coach Rob Baxter:

“We feel we’re on a good run of form. Now our challenge is probably a mental one to see if we can keep that run going.

“We’ve given the players a bit of time off in the last couple of weeks. Now the responsibility is on them to come out there all guns firing.”

London Irish: D Armitage; Ojo, Seveali’i, Mapusua, Homer; Bowden, Hodgson; Dermody, Buckland, Rautenbach; Kennedy, Casey; Gibson, Stowers, S Armitage.
Replacements: Paice, Corbisiero, Ion, Johnson, Thorpe, Thompstone, Lamb, Allinson

Exeter: Arscott; Jess, Shoemark, Naqelevuki, Sestaret; Steenson, Thomas; Sturgess, Clark, Budgen; Hayes, Hanks; Johnson, Scaysbrook, Baxter.
Replacements: Alcott, Moon, Tui, Slade, Phillips, Poluleuligaga, Nadolo, Mieres.