ROB Baxter has thrown down the gauntlet to his Exeter Chiefs side ahead of Friday night’s Premiership showdown at Sale Sharks, declaring this week a defining moment for a team eager to prove its credentials.

With the Autumn Nations Series effectively done and dusted for most countries, it’s back to the heat of English rugby’s top flight for Baxter’s plethora of international stars.

Having been tested to the hilt in Test battle, the returning names can expect an equally testing examination in the waters of Greater Manchester against the Sharks.

“For us, we’ve got to look at this week as an opportunity to make a statement about where we think we are as a group,” said Baxter said. “If we can go up there and perform well, I think it shows where we need to be to be challenging at the top end of the Prem. I’m looking at it as a huge opportunity to do something positive.”

It’s a bold rallying call from Exeter’s leader who knows the stakes: deliver in the North West, and the league will take notice.

The Chiefs have suffered just one defeat in the Premiership so far this season – that was to Bristol Bears – and currently sit third in the standings, a marked difference from this time last year where victories of any sort were hard to come by.

England duo Henry Slade and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both start against the Sharks, as do Aussie pair Tom Hooper and Len Ikitau, as well as Wales’ Dafydd Jenkins and Italy’s Andrea Zambonin.

In addition, fresh from helping Manu Samoa qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, loosehead prop Scott Sio is selected on the bench.

Baxter added: “Our internationals have all come back into the team environment in good fettle and have been ready to go since our first team meeting on Monday.”

The only downside of the recent Autumn block was the news that Italian back-row forward Ross Vintcent is set to be sidelined for up to 12 weeks with a shoulder injury. He is due to undergo surgery any day.

Club-mate and international colleague Stephen Varney is also sidelined, but his rib injury is not expected to keep him out of action too long. In his absence, summer signing Charlie Chapman is set to make his first Premiership start for the Devonians.

Friday’s trip comes just a fortnight after the two sides met in the Premiership Rugby Cup, a fixture in which the home side triumphed 34-3 in horrendous conditions at the CorpAcq Stadium.

Baxter added: “Our visit to them in the cup showed what Sale are very good at, which is their half-backs control territory and make very good decisions. I’d like to think we learned a fortnight ago about conditions and about what the evening is likely to bring on the pitch.”

The Sharks, meanwhile, include former Chiefs trio Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jacques Vermeulen and Tom O’Flaherty in their starting line-up.

Exeter Chiefs: Josh Hodge; Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade, Len Ikitau, Olly Woodburn; Harvey Skinner, Charlie Chapman; Will Goodrick-Clarke, Joseph Dweba, Josh Iosefa-Scott; Dafydd Jenkins (capt), Andrea Zambonin; Tom Hooper, Ethan Roots, Greg Fisilau. Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Scott Sio, Bachuki Tchumbadze, Lewis Pearson, Kane James, Tom Cairns, Will Haydon-Wood, Ben Hammersley.