IT Is going to be an emotional day at Sandy Park tomorrow when a host of Exeter Chiefs players say their farewells as the club play their final home game of the season (3pm).

However, it is a very important day on the field, with both Exeter and Bristol Bears hoping to gain a victory to secure a top-eight finish in the Premiership table and a place in next season's Champions Cup.

Among those featuring at Sandy Park for the final time are Stuart Hogg and Ian Whitten, both of whom are set to retire from the game along with Ben Moon at the end of the season. The clash will also see final home run-outs for Dave Ewers, Jannes Kirsten, Sam Simmonds, Joe Simmonds and Sean O’Brien.

Others departing, including the likes of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Nowell, Jack Maunder and Harry Williams, will get their chance to say goodbye when the players take to the field at the final whistle for a lap of honour.

Chiefs' director of rugby Rob Baxter has told his players that he doesn’t want the occasion to distract from the job at hand, which is to win a game of rugby first and foremost

“The first meeting we had this week, we talked about how it’s going to be a good and an important day for all of us,” said Baxter. “However, let’s not expect it to be good because we want it to be good. As a group, we have to direct that emotional energy in the right way.

“Bristol won’t be coming here to have a party or say ‘well done’ to our players, they are coming here to win a game of rugby. If we direct our energy and our emotion in the right way, then we’re normally pretty good. It’s when we don’t, that’s when we have problems. All I’ve said to our lads is, I want them to go out, perform and then be able to walk off the pitch proud of what they have achieved.”

Standing in the way of the Chiefs tomorrow will be a Bears side, who themselves are losing a number of key stars at the end of the season. The likes of Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra and Ioan Lloyd are among those exiting, whilst also missing this weekend will be prop Ellis Genge, who picked up a three-game ban earlier this week after being cited for a dangerous tackle on England team-mate, Tom Curry.

Baxter is aware of the threat posed by the visitors, warning: “Bristol is always a tough fixture, whether it’s home or away. They have a lot of threats all over the pitch and we have to be ready to meet them head on. As I said, there will be a lot of emotion around this weekend’s game, but we have to make sure we are focused on the task in hand and nothing else.

“For me, we’ve just got to get back to enjoying every game we play. You never want to get tired of playing Premiership rugby. It’s a privilege to be a coach, a player, a supporter in the Premiership. Our players should enjoy being on the field in front of big crowds and that’s exactly what this weekend will be.”

Team news for the Chiefs sees Baxter make a number of changes to his starting line-up after the 62-19 thrashing at Leicester Tigers last Sunday.

In the pack, Dan Frost, Marcus Street, Dafydd Jenkins, Ewers and Kirsten all return, while behind there is a new-look centre pairing of Whitten and Henry Slade, who will also captain the side having been forced to sit out last week’s game as part of his mandatory rest for England involvement.

Olly Woodburn, sent off at Welford Road, is available after RFU disciplinary chiefs deemed his two yellow cards were sufficient punishment. He lines-up in a back three that also includes Tom Wyatt and Hogg.

Bristol welcome back fly-half Callum Sheedy to replace the injured AJ MacGinty in an otherwise unchanged back line from the defeat to Sale Sharks at Ashton Gate.

In the pack, Genge, Kyle Sinckler, Harry Thacker and Magnus Bradbury are ruled out, with Fitz Harding switching to number eight and Sam Jeffries starting on the openside flank.

Joe Jenkins continues at outside centre, partnering James Williams in the midfield, while Harry Randall and Steven Luatua will once again co-captain the side

Exeter Chiefs: S Hogg, T Wyatt, H Slade (capt), I Whitten, O Woodburn, J Simmonds, W Becconsall, N Abuladze, D Frost, M Street, J Dunne, D Jenkins, D Ewers, J Kirsten, S Simmonds. Replacements: J Yeandle, A Hepburn, J Iosefa-Scott, A Davis, C Tshiunza, S Townsend, H Skinner, S O'Brien.

Bristol: C Piutau, S Naulago, J Jenkins, J Williams, G Ibitoye, C Sheedy, H Randall, Y Thomas, W Capon, M Lahiff, J Batley C Vui, S Luatua, S Jeffries, F Harding. Replacements: F Davies, J Woolmore, G Kloska, C Rice, D Thomas, A Uren, S Bedlow, I Lloyd.