Newcastle captain Mark Wilson has warned reigning champions Exeter to beware the "unknown quantity" as they prepare for Saturday's Aviva Premiership semi-final showdown.

The sides will meet for the fourth time this season at Sandy Park with a ticket to Twickenham a week later up for grabs.

Exeter may be overwhelming favourites to progress, but Wilson and his team-mates will draw upon the memories of their 28-20 victory over the Chiefs at Kingston Park in January as they attempt to upset the odds.

The back-row forward said: "The last time we played them in the league, we won, so it's certainly something we'll be talking about as a group of players.

"The pressure is all on them. People are going to talk about us as underdogs, but it's the first time we have been in knockout rugby, so it's going to be something where they'll have a bit of doubt in their minds.

"I think the pressure will be on them. They'll be doubting themselves a little bit as well and they'll be thinking we are an unknown quantity.

"We're going to go with a game-plan that's going to hopefully counter what they trying to impose on us and then get our big players into the game as well."

The Falcons have made the end-of-season play-offs for the first time after a remarkable season which saw them edge past Leicester into fourth place.

Late victories have become something a habit with the Tigers and Sale both succumbing to last-gasp Newcastle heroics, and Wilson knows they will need another 80-minute performance in Devon.

He said: "The way that we have actually performed for 80 minutes has either got us out of a couple of holes or won us tight games.

"I know it might sound daft, but it's 80 minutes and that's what we have got to work hard for."

Wilson will lead the team out with his club form having won him a return to the England squad to tour South Africa next month.

He said: "It's something that, with being injured for a while, I thought I'd maybe slipped off the radar, so to be called back up, I'm really chuffed. I'm just really excited to get out there and see how we go."

The task of keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he seeks glory on both the domestic and international fronts could be testing, although 28-year-old Wilson admits it is not too much of a problem for him.

He said: "I've got two kids at home under three, so I don't have much time to think about it, to be honest.

"The constant thing of wanting to go on to the next thing almost keeps your feet on the ground because you can't have time to dwell and reflect on it too much."

Asked which is the tougher prospect, dealing with two young children or going into battle with the Chiefs, he replied with a smile: "It depends what time of the day."