Chiefs 22 Irish 17
Exeter Chiefs 22
London Irish 17
Mark Stevens at Sandy Park
’Tonight’s going to be a good night’ provided the perfect soundtrack to a return to winning ways for the Exeter Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership.
Although not at their best, Rob Baxter’s side had enough about them to ensure they rediscovered their winning formula with victory over visiting London Irish at Sandy Park.
A dominant first half display set the tone for this latest success story, tries from Dave Ewers, Ruben Van Heerden and Olly Woodburn ensuring they led 19-3 at the break.
Although the Chiefs huffed and puffed after the break, it was the visitors who hit back with converted scores of their own through So’otala Fa’aso’o and Tom Pearson to keep home nerves jangling until the death.
Thankfully, the Devonians had enough about them, holding their rivals at bay to ensure a third home win of the season in the top-flight.
Returning to home comforts following back-to-back losses on the road at Gloucester and Northampton Saints, the hosts made changes to the side that lost at Franklin’s Gardens. Injuries to Jack Yeandle and Ian Whitten meant starts for Jack Innard and Sean O’Brien, while Dafydd Jenkins was also in from the outset and handed the captaincy for the first time in his fledgling career.
Irish, who were without a game last weekend, arrived in Devon looking to inflict further woe on their hosts, who they both home and away in the top-flight. They arrived with a powerful attacking arsenal, which was headed up by Jackson and also included dangerous speedsters Ben Loader and Ollie Hassell-Collins.
Following an impeccably observed Remembrance Service ahead of kick-off, it was the visitors who looked to land the early blows. With both sides tearing into each other at will in the opening exchanges, it was Irish who took the lead on eight minutes when Jackson potted them in front with a simple penalty after Jenkins had been pinged for not rolling away at a ruck in front of his own posts.
That lead, however, would prove short-lived as the Chiefs rallied almost immediately. Regaining possession and testing the Exiles defence with their multi-phase game, they got themselves to within sight of the line at the South End. The visitors, though, were struggling to repel the threat and when the Chiefs went quick off a tap penalty, it was Ewers who emerged from a mass of bodies to take the acclaim for his first converted score of the season.
It was just the response Baxter and head coach Ali Hepher would have craved from their side - and they used it as the springboard to continue their attacking raids. Irish did well to hold the threat at bay, but when Simmonds and Josh Hodge combined to send the latter tearing towards the line, a cynical intervention from Loader saw the Irish back sent to the sidelines for a ten-minute stint.
Up a man, it took the Chiefs less than a minute to make their numerical advantage tell. Using the resultant penalty to position them behind enemy lines once more, the forwards took charge with a simple, pick-and-go game, which enabled Van Heerden to cross for his third try in as many games.
Two tries to the good, the Chiefs were sitting pretty as the first half minutes continued to tick by. Irish, though, were refusing to go quietly and twice threatened with some multi-phase action of their own. Thankfully, the hosts held firm and the score remained untouched.
With half time approaching, Irish looked to threaten once again, this time from just inside their own half. However, as the visitors attempted to ship the ball left, Woodburn plucked the pass from the night sky and was able to race unopposed to the line for Exeter’s third of the game. Simmonds converted to ensure a maximum haul.
HALF TIME: EXETER CHIEFS 19 LONDON IRISH 3
Up against it, Irish - who brought on the highly-rated Tom Pearson at the break - once more came out firing during the opening exchanges. Just as they had done in the first half, they set about trying to find a way back into the contest.
Initially, the Irish threat was held at bay by some robust defence from the Chiefs. Jacques Vermeulen was at the heart of it for the hosts, putting in some bone-crunching hits that left a trail of destruction out on the pitch.
Undeterred, the visitors continued to go about their work and eventually their pressure was rewarded when Samoan No.8 Fa’aso’o was able to rumble over from close range for their opening try, which was converted by the boot of Jackson.
Given a potential route back into the contest, the last thing Irish needed to do was given an immediate out to the Chiefs. Sadly, that is what they did, the visitors straying offside form the restart. It allowed Simmonds a shot at goal and the Chiefs marksman made no mistake with a simple penalty.
Both sides emptied their benches to inject fresh impetus into their game, but unforced errors hampered the hopes of the two clubs. Whereas Irish continually coughed up possession in key areas, the Chiefs were shooting themselves in the foot with a stack of needless penalties.
The bonus point was in sight for the Chiefs, but they were unable to find that same efficiency in attack that they had shown in the first half. It was frustrating watching for the coaches in the stand, but crucially they were still ahead as the game headed towards its dying embers.
Irish, though, were far from done and in a spirited show of resistance, they themselves were rewarded with a bonus point of their own, Pearson crashing over with just three minutes remaining to claim their second score and set-up a potential nail0-biting finale.
Thankfully, the Chiefs - despite their army of young guns on the field - were streetwise enough to close out the contest, even winning a penalty with the last passage of play. Simmonds refused to goal for goal, instead tapping to himself and nudging the ball hight into the West Grandstand.
The celebrations, both on and off the field, were somewhat wild, but after the past few weeks of hurt, this was a crucial victory in the grand scheme of the season.
Chiefs: J Hodge; D John, R O'Loughlin, S O'Brien, O Woodburn; J Simmonds, J Maunder (S Maunder 61); A Hepburn (S Sio 52), J Innard (D Frost 52), H Williams (P Schickerling 65); D Jenkins (capt), R Van Heerden (J Dunne 61); D Ewers (R Tuima 65), L Pearson, J Vermeulen. Replacements (not used): P Schickerling, R Tuima, W Becconsall, I Feyi-Waboso.
Tries - Ewers, Van Heerden, Woodburn; Conversion - J Simmonds (2); Penalty - J Simmonds
Irish: T Parton (R Jennings 70); B Loader, J Stokes (W Joseph 48), B van Rensburg, O Hassell-Collins; P Jackson, J Powell (C Englefield 62); W Goodrick-Clarke (F Gigena 62), M Willemse (I Miller 72), L Chawatama (O Hoskins 62);C Munga, R Simmons (capt), J Cooke (T Pearson 40), J Basham, S Fa’aso’o (J Caulfield 74).
Tries - Fas’so’o, Pearson; Conversions - Jackson (2); Penalty - Jackson
Yellow Card: Loader
Referee: H Smales
Attendance: 9,916