Leicester Tigers will travel down to Sandy Park to face Exeter Chiefs in the club's final game of the 2023/24 season.

Sunday's game will bookend the side's maiden season nicely, the Chiefs serving as Tigers' first opponents in the opening week of the season, back in November as Exeter triumphed 27 - 44 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

In that match, eight players made their first appearances for the club, the match seeing debut scores for the likes of Meg Jones, Francesca McGhie and Eva Donaldson.

Since that opening match, Sunday's hosts have confirmed their play off place, being almost certain to finish in fourth place and battle league leaders Gloucester-Hartpury for a place in the Allianz PWR final, which coincidentally will take place at Chiefs' home of Sandy Park. 

Ahead of that match, Exeter are looking to build momentum and, like Leicester, will welcome back their Pacific Four internationals into the starting XV, including tournament winning Canadians Alex Tessier and Emily Tuttosi aswell as USA stars Hope Rogers and Gabby Cantorna. They will do battle against Tigers North American stars Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele, Tahlia Brody, Claire Gallagher and Tess Feury.

The carrying power of the two sides has been a key factor for both throughout the season, with many of the PAC 4 stars emblamatic of these physical approached. Indeed, Leicester Tigers have committed 2+ opposition tacklers from a higher share of their carries than any other side in this season’s Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby (54%), while Exeter Chiefs have done so from 53% of their carries, the third highest rate of any team in the league this term; Leicester stars Sagapolu Sanele and Brody are emblamatic of this approach, while Exeter's Rogers and Tuttosi will also offer considerable physical threats across the park.

In fact the Chiefs front row will offer tremendous threat in both attack and defence; Tuttosi has the highest tackle success rate among all 88 players to have attempted 100+ tackles in this season’s Allianz PWR (97.0%), while teammate and fellow front row DeLeaka Menin ranks third (96.3%). Tigers will need to be at their very slickest attack wise in order to break down a sturdy defence.

It's likely they will get plenty of opportunities to run the ball; Exeter lead the entire league for kicks from hand per 80 minutes (19), suggesting Tigers speedsters Tess Feury and Francesca McGhie will be allowed space to try and work their magic.

Finally, no matter the result, Leicester Tigers will look to give their all to try and finish a maiden Premiership season with maximum pride from what has been a memorable debut campaign. One final trip down, the longest of the season, and then a memorable bus journey home to regather, recallibrate and prepare for 2024/25.