Exeter build pressure slowly but surely and get deep into Newcastle's 22.

Gary Graham tackles high on Alec Hepburn and Gareth Steenson kicks the resulting penalty from 15m.

Further bad news for Wasps as centre Gaby Lovobalavu hobbles off.

Wasps clear but Saracens again enjoy a few phases. Another dab through by Alex Goode gives Saracens a line-out on the Wasps 22.

John Lockyer
Former Exeter Chiefs captain on BBC Radio Devon

It's not going quite right at the moment for the Chiefs.

The first lineout didn't go right and good, early tackles from Newcastle are putting Exeter under pressure.

Alex Goode chips ahead and a very awkward bounce nearly breaks for Saracens but Nathan Earle couldn't quite gather, otherwise it may have been a run to the line.

The Premiership leaders are behind and it's self-inflicted.

Gareth Steenson's wayward pass puts Phil Dollman in trouble - he's tackled under his own posts and concedes a penalty.

Toby Flood chips it over with ease and Newcastle have the start they wanted.

Nizaam Carr with a couple of big carries for Wasps in the early exchanges but Saracens win the first breakdown penalty and kick towards the Wasps 22.

Away we go in Coventry with Wasps getting us underway kicking towards the M6 in the first half.

And we're off in the North East too with champions Exeter looking for another win to take into break.

Feet up and enjoy...

We have our usual first-class offering of live local radio commentaries this afternoon, to enhance our text version of events.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire have full coverage of Wasps v Saracens, while BBC Newcastle and BBC Radio Devon are broadcasting from Kingston Park for Newcastle v Exeter.

Find links to the station of your choice at the top of this page.

BBC App users may need to click the link to view the full tweet.

Image source, Getty Images

I'm never a fan of pre-season predictions but with just seven or eight regular-season games to go, now seems a look time to look into the crystal ball.

Exeter already have a 13-point lead over fifth-placed Bath going into today's game so we can surely assume that they'll feature in the end-of-season play-offs.

But which three other teams will join them? Saracens and Wasps look favourites but anyone down to 10th-placed Northampton could conceivably snatch a spot.

We'll try to use any thoughts - just use #bbcrugby on social media.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle make three changes as they aim to beat Premiership champions Exeter to record a sixth straight win.

Captain Will Welch, Sinoti Sinoti, Michael Young and former Exeter back Josh Matavesi return to the side.

Exeter are missing England trio Jack Nowell (ankle), Luke Cowan-Dickie (hip) and Harry Williams (concussion) - while Lachie Turner is a late withdrawal for family reasons and is replaced by Phil Dollman.

Newcastle: Hammersley; Goneva, Harris, Matavesi, Sinoti; Flood, Young; Vickers, Cooper, Welsh, Green, Robinson, Welch (capt), Graham, Wilson.

Exeter: Dollman; Short, Whitten, Hill, Woodburn; Steenson, White; Hepburn, Yeandle (capt), Francis, Lees, Atkins, Ewers, Kvesic, Simmonds.

Image source, Rex Features

England internationals Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola start their bid to prove their fitness for the forthcoming Six Nations as they return from injury for Saracens.

Second row Itoje broke his jaw in December, while number eight Vunipola has been out since having surgery on a knee injury in September.

Wasps are without 12 injured players, including England wing Elliot Daly and lock Joe Launchbury, who was named on the bench but pulled out this morning with a heavy cold.

Wasps: Le Roux; Wade, De Jongh, Lovobalavu, Watson; Cipriani, Robson; Harris, Johnson (capt), Cooper-Woolley, Gaskell, Myall, Haskell, Young, Carr.

Saracens: Goode; Earle, Taylor, Barritt (capt), Wyles; Farrell, Wigglesworth; M Vunipola, Tolofua, Koch, Itoje, Isiekwe, Rhodes, Burger, B Vunipola.

They're Premiership champions and 10 points clear at the top, so it might not be all too surprising to hear Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter say he's unlikely to make many additions to his squad for next season.

Chiefs have more than 15 players out of contract at the end of this season, including captain Gareth Steenson, and Baxter is more focused on getting some of them signed up.

"You're not going to see six new signings next season," Baxter said.

"Will there be one or two? Yes, potentially. Will most of our retention and recruitment work be based around the players who are here? Yes, it certainly will be," he told BBC Sport.

This week saw Wasps director of rugby Dai Young sign a new deal, described as "long-term" by the Premiership runners-up.

Young has previously expressed interest in taking charge of the Welsh national side but says he is focused on his work at Wasps.

"As a proud Welshman, I am obviously humbled by being talked about as a possible future national coach," he said.

"However, here at Wasps, we have made really good progress over the past few years and there is still so much to come."

Image source, BBC Sport

The focus is definitely on the top half of the Premiership this afternoon and, more specifically, the top three.

Both Saracens and Wasps will be keen to eat into Exeter's 10 point advantage, while the leaders will see this as a chance to further extend their buffer.

Newcastle start the afternoon eighth but just one point would see them leapfrog Leicester and Sale into the top six.

Hello, hope the lamb is on the slow-cooker in a bath of Bordeaux and you've got your feet up for a real humdinger in the Premiership as Saracens travel to Wasps.

Champions Exeter have also made the long trip to Newcastle (they probably flew but hey ho) for a tricky game on the Falcons' artificial pitch.

Sit back, enjoy and get involved.

Image source, Getty Images