EXETER CHIEFS director of rugby Rob Baxter has warned his side not to let standards slip as they head into a crucial stage of the Gallagher PREM season, insisting the pressure of a tightly packed table must be turned into a positive as the club continues its push for a play-off place.

The Devonians travel to face Newcastle Red Bulls tomorrow evening (7.45pm) in Round 12 knowing how quickly the standings can shift, with Baxter urging consistency as the race for the top four intensifies.

“It’s very tight at the top of the table and it’d be very easy to drop back out of the top four, so that’s what creates the pressure game by game,” said Baxter. “You either use that as a real positive to fight for everything or it becomes a negative.

“I like to talk about the positive that things are in our hands, so let’s make the most of it and play like we deserve to win games to stay in the top four.”

Fresh from victory against Sale Sharks last time out, the visitors make changes for the long trip to Kingston Park, including a return for England U20s centre Nick Lilley, who comes back into club action after impressing on international duty.

Lilley – who takes over from the absent Henry Slade – last featured for the Chiefs off the bench in their 38-15 win over Newcastle in October and starts in the midfield alongside Will Rigg, who himself is one of three players – Josh Hodge and Rus Tuima are the others – who will be plying their trade in the North East next season.

Tuima, meanwhile, is another change to the starting line-up, taking over in the second row for Daf Jenkins, who is being given a well-earned rest ahead following his exertions in the Six Nations Championship with Wales.

In his absence, club captain Jack Yeandle leads the side from hooker, packing down between Scott Sio and Jimmy Roots. Tuima lines up in the second row alongside Andrea Zambonin, while the back-row is unchanged with Tom Hooper, Ross Vintcent and Greg Fisilau all starting.

Scrum-half Stephen Varney and fly-half Harvey Skinner continue their developing half-back partnership, while the back three remains untouched with Campbell Ridl and Paul Brown-Bampoe on the wings and Olly Woodburn at full-back.

Baxter, meanwhile, stressed the importance of composure in difficult away fixtures, pointing to last season’s defeat at Kingston Park as a reminder of the challenge ahead.

“We lost up there last year, so my expectation is that this is going to be tough,” he said. “Newcastle have good players and if you give them something to fight for, they will fight to the end.”

Exeter Chiefs: Olly Woodburn; Paul Brown-Bampoe, Nick Lilley, Will Rigg, Campbell Ridl; Harvey Skinner, Stephen Varney; Scott Sio, Jack Yeandle (c), Jimmy Roots; Rus Tuima, Andrew Zambonin; Tom Hooper, Ross Vintcent, Greg Fisilau

Replacements: Julian Heaven, Ethan Burger, Bachuki Tchumbadze, Lewis Pearson, Finn Worley Brady, Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood, Dan John