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McKenzie set for 'cup final'

Exeter Chiefs
Image: McKenzie: Cup final

Exeter winger Paul McKenzie believes Wednesday's Championship play-off second leg clash with Bristol will be like a cup final.

Winger believes Exeter must take their chance on Wednesday

Exeter winger Paul McKenzie believes Wednesday's Championship play-off second leg clash with Bristol will be like a cup final. The Chiefs will head to the Memorial Stadium with a narrow three-point lead following their 9-6 victory in the first leg at Sandy Park. And with such a narrow advantage, McKenzie, who was called in to the Exeter side for the first leg at the 11th hour after Bryan Rennie suffered a facial injury, believes his side need to win on Wednesday to make sure of their place in the Guinness Premiership next season. "If we win both games then it does not matter by how much," said Ireland A international McKenzie, who was Exeter's top try-scorer last season. "It might have been nice to go up there with a bigger points difference, but it's now effectively half-time in the game. "Both sides are under different pressures. Bristol are playing at home in front of a partisan, expectant crowd. I guess it comes down to a one-off cup final game now." Exeter - Forwards: Simon Alcott, Richie Baxter, Chris Budgen, Neil Clark, David Gannon, James Hanks, Tom Hayes, Tom Johnson, James Scaysbrook, Chad Slade, Brett Sturgess & Hoani Tui.
Backs: Matt Cornwell, Phil Dollman, Mark Foster, Danny Gray, Matt Jess, Paul McKenzie, Nic Sestaret, Gareth Steenson, Clive Stuart-Smith & Haydn Thomas.

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