LV= Cup successes can aid Saints’ Premiership aims, says Hooley

Hooley and Co have claimed two wins from as many games in the Anglo-Welsh competition, with the most recent a scrappy 24-7 victory at Scarlets last Friday.

They now return to league action looking to pick up where they left off and cement their position at the top of the table.

And though he knows third-placed Exeter will be hard to beat, Hooley is confident the belief gained during the past couple of weeks will help Saints shine.

“Exeter’s going to be a tough one,” said the fly-half, who kicked nine points in the win at Parc y Scarlets last week.

“They don’t have too many internationals away so they’re together as a group for the season.

“But for us now, the group that has been playing the LV= games, a lot of us will hopefully be called up to play in that game this week and having the momentum of those two wins going into Exeter will give us confidence.

“We’ll focus on ourselves and come Friday night at the Gardens we’ll be all guns blazing.”