EXETER Chiefs will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record in this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup when they travel to rivals Gloucester Rugby on Friday night (7:45pm).

After two high-scoring victories against Championship opposition, Cornish Pirates (68-7) and Hartpury (54-3), Rob Baxter’s side can expect to face a much stiffer test of their credentials when they take to the field at Kingsholm.

Baxter has made two changes to his starting line-up from last time out, drafting in Scott Sio at loosehead in place of Will Goodrick-Clarke, whilst Stu Townsend gets the nod at scrum-half ahead of Will Becconsall.

Both Goodrick-Clarke and Becconsall drop to the bench, where they are joined by the returning Zack Wimbush, whose last outing in a Chiefs jersey came in the pre-season friendly against Ospreys.

Exeter’s two victories in the competition helped to end a six-game losing streak in the Gallagher Premiership for the Devonians – and Baxter is hopeful that confidence gleaned in recent weeks can be carried forward into this contest and beyond.

“I think the opening rounds of the Premiership Cup have been pretty progressive for us,” said Baxter “I can’t predict Gloucester’s selection, but I’m assuming this Friday will be closer to a Premiership game.

“It will be a bit more of a test of where we are and some of the things we are working on. A lot of the boxes we’re looking to tick, the players are ticking, so that’s very positive. We’ve just got to stick at it now.”

Chiefs: Hodge, Hammersley, Tua, Rigg, Wyatt; Haydon-Wood, Townsend; Sio, Frost, Street; Tuima, Capstick; E Roots, Vermeulen (c), Fisilau. Replacements: Innard, Goodrick-Clarke, J Roots, Pearson, Moloney, Becconsall, Skinner, Wimbush.