ROB Baxter knows some people won't take him seriously when he says it, but he sees tomorrow's game as a good way to prepare for the play-offs.

Exeter Chiefs host Birmingham & Solihull in the final regular season match — and the two sides have experienced contrasting fortunes this term.

The Chiefs have lost only three league matches to sit second in the table, 25 points clear of their nearest challengers.

Meanwhile the Bees have lost every game they have played and have a league total of minus nine points after going into voluntary liquidation earlier in the campaign.

However, it is the weight of expectation that his side will be under given those circumstances that Baxter thinks will prepare his side well for the battles ahead.

"We've talked this week about the pressure of the situation," said the Sandy Park head coach.

"People may laugh at that, but we're second in the league and are going very well and Birmingham haven't won a game going into the last match.

"That does put you under a bit of pressure. People will expect us to be pretty dominant and, if you're not scoring points early in the game, people can get a bit rattled and imprecise.

"In a lot of ways that's good preparation because the truth of the matter is that a lot of people will expect us to do pretty well in the play-offs and you've got to be able to cope with things when they aren't going 100 per cent your way."

With a trip to Nottingham next Sunday starting the Chiefs' play-off bid, Baxter is using tomorrow's game as a final chance to try a few different combinations.

With Chad Slade having started 18 of the 21 league games so far, he is given a rest on the bench, with regular opensides James Scaysbrook and Andy Miller paired on the flanks.

Chris Budgen comes in at tighthead against his former club on rotation, while there is a reshuffle in the three-quarters.

Centre Bryan Rennie has been ruled out after taking a bang to his head last weekend and Matt Jess has recovered from food poisoning to take his place on the wing.

That sees Nic Sestaret switch to centre, Matt Cornwell come in to partner him and Phil Dollman move to full-back in place of Steve Jones.

He drops to the bench as one of only two backs as Baxter has named five forwards. Dave Gannon also returns after illness but Danny Gray is given a rare weekend off.

Baxter is keen to see Miller and Scaysbrook play together in the back row tomorrow.

"They're both playing very well," said Baxter. "Andy (Miller) came on and played very well against Plymouth and Scays had a good game.

"We've put an awful lot of game minutes into Chad (Slade) recently so it gives him an opportunity to have a bit of a break. He's been one of our form players this season.

"We've gone for a different make-up on the bench this week with a five-two split. We think that is the best way to use the squad for this game.

"We want to give Dollman some game time at 15 and that keeps Nic (Sestaret) in the side at 13, where he's been playing very well.

"My intention is not to be chopping and changing too much, but there are different reasons for different things.

"Over-playing someone with a niggle at this stage of the season would probably be a bit silly."

Baxter has also warned his players to focus on tomorrow's game and not get distracted.

"We're almost in a bit of silly season at the moment because all the talk outside of the changing room is about semi-finals and finals, how many games it will take to win play-off pools and which teams will be in the pools," he said.

"If we get distracted by that we'll suffer for it. We're going to earn our right to be there — we won't expect to be there."