'Great challenge' for Saints as they face tough test at Sandy Park fortress

The black, green and gold start 2024 sitting top of the Gallagher Premiership as well as Investec Champions Cup Pool 3, but Exeter are just a place below them in both competitions.

It means the showdown at Sandy Park, where Exeter have not lost since Saracens won there in October 2022, is a top-of-the-table encounter.

And Saints head coach Vesty said: "It's always great to go and challenge yourself against a record like they have.

"You can throw everything at it and really go for it.

"What a great challenge and fair play to Exeter - they are very tough to beat down at Sandy Park.

"These things are there to get you going."

Saints won all of their final six matches in 2023 to ensure they will go into 2024 with a spring in their step.

And Vesty said: "We focus on trying to play our game and do what we do every week to win games of rugby.

"It doesn't matter who's in front of you and it doesn't matter what the challenge is, it's the same 80 minutes on a rugby pitch, just with that added bit of spice.

"But we concentrate on what we're trying to do."

Saints have gained such confidence during a run that has seen them topple heavyweights Harlequins, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Toulon, Gloucester and Sale Sharks.

And Vesty said: "Winning is great and what we've done really well is perform, which gives you the belief in what you're doing.

"The most important thing for us to take with us is the belief, because we're defending really well, we're tough to break as a defensive group, we're attacking well and having faith in that is the bit you can really take with you.

"It's a bit like Ted Lasso and the believe thing. Playing well gives you that belief and you've got experience of playing well so why can't it happen again."

Saints have opted to rotate their team once again, with the likes of Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman dropping to the bench and Courtney Lawes rested completely.

"A squad wins games of rugby in the Premiership, it's always going to be a squad effort and we'll be using lots of players this year,” Vesty said.

“It's testament to those guys who are perhaps on the periphery that they can come in and do a really good job and be the consistent players we want them to be.”