LOVE may well be in the air tomorrow, but there’ll certainly be no romance on the rugby pitch this Valentine’s Day.

Instead, Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby will meet at Sandy Park (2pm) for a hotly-anticipated a clash where passion, pride and Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final hopes collide.

With both sides at the top end of Pool A, this derby is not just about bragging rights, but also who advances to the last four.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter admitted this week that the the stakes are high. Last week’s hard-fought win at Bristol Bears gave the squad confidence, but the top-of-the-table showdown demands focus.

“Qualification out of the pool is tight. We don’t want players sitting on the sidelines with no game time. We need everyone ready for the semi-finals,” he said.

The Chiefs welcome back key experience for this showdown. Ethan Roots, Harvey Skinner and Charlie Chapman – the latter facing his former club – are set to boost the home side as they aim to leapfrog Gloucester in the standings.

Roots, fresh from captaining England A to victory over Ireland at Thomond Park, leads the back row alongside Martin Moloney and Finn Worley-Brady.

The front row features Max Norey, back from a try-scoring display against Bristol, supported by Will Goodrick-Clarke at loosehead and Josh Iosefa-Scott at tighthead. Richard Capstick partners Rusi Tuima in the second row, while Lewis Pearson is rested after a minor knee knock.

Chapman starts at scrum-half, Skinner returns to fly-half, while a young centre pairing of Ollie Batson and Zack Wimbush shapes up to challenge Gloucester’s defence. On the wings, Campbell Ridl starts opposite Paul Brown-Bampoe, promoted from the bench after last weekend’s try, with Josh Hodge at full-back.

Baxter, though, is under no illusions about the challenge. “There’s a bit of pressure on both sides. Gloucester will come looking for momentum, it’s going to be a full-blooded, no-nonsense derby. There’s no love lost between these clubs, and this game could shape who makes the semi-finals.”

The bench features hooker Julian Heaven with props Khwezi Mona and Jimmy Roots forming the front-row cover. Young forwards Oscar Beckerleg and Joe Bailey join the back-five, while Tom Cairns and Ben Coen provide half-back support alongside Dan John.

EXETER CHIEFS: Josh Hodge; Paul Brown-Bampoe, Zack Wimbush, Ollie Batson, Campbell Ridl; Harvey Skinner, Charlie Chapman; Will Goodrick-Clarke, Max Norey, Josh Iosefa-Scott; Richard Capstick, Rusi Tuima; Finn Worley-Brady, Martin Moloney, Ethan Roots (capt). Replacements: Julian Heaven, Khwezi Mona, Jimmy Roots, Oscar Beckerleg, Joe Bailey, Tom Cairns, Ben Coen, Dan John