EXETER Chiefs have recalled international duo Ethan Roots and Ross Vintcent to their starting line-up ahead of their Gallagher Premiership encounter with Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm on Sunday (3pm).

The back-row pairing are two of three changes that the Devonians have made, the other being the inclusion of scrum-half Niall Armstrong, to that which lost narrowly at home to league leaders Bath Rugby last weekend.

Roots and Vintcent help form an exciting, yet powerful, back-row triumvirate alongside No.8 Greg Fisilau.

With just four rounds of the regular season remaining, Rob Baxter’s side know a victory is paramount if they are to stand any chance of getting into the top eight, which will ensure Champions Cup rugby again next season.

Currently the Chiefs are 12 points adrift of Northampton Saints, who occupy the final berth, and who they entertain at Sandy Park next month.

Director of Rugby Baxter expects a strong challenge from this weekend’s hosts, who themselves are looking to not only bounce back from last week’s 36-14 loss at Saracens, but also keep up their own push for a place in the end of season play-offs.

“I think the end of this season is a very important period for us in terms of how we grow and develop into next season,” said Baxter.

“From this weekend’s game, I fully expect Gloucester to fly out the box and play the ball from all areas of the field. That’ll be one of the things they’ll have talked about this week, because they didn’t really get to play the way they wanted to play against Saracens.

“They’ll look at this game thinking, ‘whatever we do, let’s play like Gloucester against Exeter’. I would be very surprised if they change away from that game plan.”

EXETER CHIEFS: Josh Hodge; Ben Hammersley, Henry Slade, Joe Hawkins, Paul Brown-Bampoe; Harvey Skinner, Niall Armstrong; Scott Sio, Jack Yeandle, Marcus Street; Rus Tuima, Dafydd Jenkins (capt); Ethan Roots, Ross Vintcent, Greg Fisilau. Replacements: Max Norey, Kwenzo Blose, Josh Iosefa-Scott, Richard Capstick, Jacques Vermeulen, Stu Townsend, Will Haydon-Wood, Will Rigg.