Chiefs 30 Wasps 23
Exeter Chiefs 30
London Wasps 20
Mark Stevens at Sandy Park
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me – yet another home victory for the Exeter Chiefs.
Rob Baxter’s side made it a perfect five from five at home in the Aviva Premiership as they overcame visiting London Wasps at Sandy Park.
The Westcountry’s finest moved into the top five courtesy of tries from Chris Whitehead, Haydn Thomas and Phil Dollman; whilst fly-half Gareth Steenson weighed in with the remainder of the Devon side’s points.
For Wasps, it meant yet more misery for Londoners on Devon soil – they have now lost all three previous encounters at Sandy Park – and all they could muster was a losing bonus point courtesy of Tommy Bell’s late penalty.
Fresh from their first away win in the top flight this season at London Irish, Baxter named an unchanged Chiefs line-up for the visit of Wasps, who themselves came into the game on the back of an impressive home success over Leicester Tigers.
And that meant a home Premiership debut for young Cornishman Jack Nowell, who impressed on his first outing at the Madejski Stadium the week previous.
Wasps, meanwhile, were boosted by the return of prop Zak Taulafo and lock Tom Palmer following their involvements in the autumn internationals; whilst Thomas was given a slot in the midfield alongside Elliot Daly.
It was, however, the Chiefs who were first to show and it took just two minutes for the deadlock to be broken as Steenson fired over a penalty after the visitors were pulled up for not rolling away just outside their own 22.
Home joy proved shortlived as within minutes parity was restored as Lee Thomas fired over his opening kick of the game after Aussie international Dean Mumm was deemed the culprit, when he was pulled up for also not rolling away.
It was proving a recurring theme in the opening exchanges with referee Andrew Small red-hot at the breakdown as he looked to keep a smooth tempo to the game. Sadly, Wasps were not learning on the job as Steenson plundered a second kick to restore the home side’s lead.
Wasps, though, made light of the slender deficit and stung their Devon rivals with the game’s opening try on 17 minutes when Daly latched onto a simple pass in centre field before racing clear of the home defence to score in the right-hand corner.
Welshman Thomas plundered the testing conversion from the touchline, before dispatching a second penalty to stretch their lead to seven points.
The Chiefs needed to regroup and that they did to good effect as a clever counter involving Steenson and Phil Dollman saw the latter felled by a last-gasp tackle from Christian Wade. However, as the Chiefs looked to recycle at pace, a cynical piece of play from England international Joe Simpson saw the Wasps No.9 dispatched to the sin-bin.
From the ensuing play, the home side worked a five-metre line-out back inside, propelling hooker Whitehead over for his first try of the season, which Steenson duly converted.
With little to choose between either side in a pulsating encounter, it was Wasps who struck again just past the half-hour when winger Varndell cantered over for his ninth converted try of the season, finishing off a suspiciously forward pass from fellow paceman Wade.
Again there was an immediate response from the Chiefs as another forward offensive saw them set up camp deep inside the Wasps 22 with a five-metre scrum. Although the first two attempts ended in nothing, the third proved fruitful as Thomas scampered his way under the sticks for Steenson to convert once more.
HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 20 LONDON WASPS 20
As it was in the first period, it was the Chiefs who set the early tone with flanker James Scaysbrook the first to threaten with a charging run just yards from the visiting line.
Stout defence from Dai Young’s side kept him at bay, but referee Small was still able to pull the game back for offside by the Wasps defence. It allowed Steenson another shot at the target, but on this occasion the Irishman saw his effort cannon back off the far post and into safety.
Exeter’s No.10 made light of the narrow miss as he restored his side’s lead on 52 minutes when he dispatched a third penalty after Daly was the latest Wasps player to be sent to the cooler following a crude trip on Nowell as he looked to race clear.
The momentum was clearly with the home side who, having threatened with yet more raids in behind enemy lines, finally made the breakthrough with the try of the game just past the hour mark.
Having pressed with a series of drives deep inside the Londoners 22, Exeter cleverly worked the ball back inside to full-back Luke Arscott, whose clever cross-field kick fell invitingly into the arms of Dollman, who was able to collect and dot down.
Steenson – aided by the roar of the East Terrace North – banged over the extras to put the Chiefs in command and ten points clear.
Now, like a hound chasing a fox, the Chiefs scented the all-important fourth try. And with less than a quarter of the game remaining, they looked to summon one last push. Sadly, it was not to be as Wasps defiantly held firm under intense pressure.
Indeed, it was Exeter’s over exuberance in the dying moments that saw them concede the penalty from which replacement Bell was able to land a crucial blow. In the final action, Bell’s effort sailed through the posts to ensure the Londoners of some scant reward from their away-day venture.
Chiefs: L Arscott; J Nowell, P Dollman (S Naqelevuki 70), J Shoemark, M Jess; G Steenson, H Thomas (K Barrett 75); B Sturgess (B Moon 66) , C Whitehead, C Rimmer (H Tui 64); T Hayes (capt), J Hanks (A Muldowney 64); D Mumm, J Scaysbrook (T Johnson 64), R Baxter. Replacement (not used): I Mieres.
Tries – Whitehead, Thomas, Dollman; Conversions – Steenson (3); Penalties – Steenson (3)
Wasps: H Southwell (capt); T Varndell, E Daly, L Thomas (T Bell 70), C Wade; N Robinson (A Masi 64), J Simpson; Z Taulafo (S McIntyre 61), T Rhys Thomas (T Lindsay 62), P Swainston; T Palmer, M Wentzel; A Johnson, J Poff (S Jones 60), B Vunipola. Replacements (not used): J Cannon, C Davies.
Tries – Daly, Varndell; Conversions – Thomas (2); Penalties – Thomas (2), Bell
Yellow Cards: Simpson, Daly
Referee: A Small
Touch Judges: G Copsey & P Huckle
4th Official: D Rose
Attendance: 7,557
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Scarlets (A), Heineken Cup, Saturday, December 8 (1.30pm)