Match Report: Exeter Chiefs 42 – 14 Northampton Saints

Exeter Chiefs secured a five-point victory over Northampton Saints at Sandy Park in Round 16 of the Gallagher Premiership on Sunday afternoon.

Seven tries from five different scorers gave Chiefs dominance over the two-try Northampton who had six league debutants in their matchday side.

It was a storybook start for the Chiefs’ debutant Nick Lilley when he scored the first try of the match 15 minutes in. A well-executed interchange of passes from Henry Slade, Harvey Skinner and Josh Hodge put the young England U20 on the front-foot on the touchline.

Lilley backed himself and his pace, cantering over to become an Exeter Premiership try-scorer. Slade added the conversion to award the full seven points.

Chiefs were dealt a triple blow on 20 minutes. Starting loosehead Scott Sio received medical attention and was removed from the pitch earlier than anticipated when he was injured defending on the goal line.

As play restarted, his side were reduced in strength when Will Rigg was shown a yellow card for a cynical infringement. Making the most of the man overlap, Jake Garside took the ball in space to cross for Northampton’s first try which Tom James quickly converted.

A half-time draw score was not in the Chiefs’ plans. Skinner tore out of the line on the halfway, perfectly timing his run for a pass intercept. Chased the entire way, the Chiefs fly-half was not to be caught, slamming the ball down beneath the sticks. Slade’s simple conversion put the Chiefs a converted score ahead.

Determination secured Chiefs a third before the half drew to a close. A flick-pass over the shoulder from Skinner released Paul Brown-Bampoe on the Northampton 10 metre. Bursting through a last-ditch tackle to keep his feet, the winger scored.

Slade’s conversion brought action to an end as Chiefs returned to the changing room with heads high.

Half-time: Chiefs 21 – 7 Saints

It was not in the Chiefs’ script for Saints to score first in the second half. Moving quickly with penalties going their way, captain Tom Lockett was able to reach out to place the ball down for the try despite being cut down by Ethan Roots inches from the line. James’ conversion brought his side back within a converted try.

Chiefs secured the bonus point two minutes short of an hour played. A Northampton scrum on the Saints five metre line was contested strongly by Chiefs and replacement Martin Moloney found himself with the ball at his feet.

The Irishman snatched it up and made a quick dart for the line to complete the score. Slade duly added the conversion.

It looked as though Josh Hodge had scored an electric solo effort with seven minutes left in the game. Taking a pass on the Northampton 10 metre line, the full-back had Dan Frost and Brown-Bampoe running supporting lines. However, with a slip from Tom Cousins, Hodge didn’t need them as he finished the score by himself.

However, a TMO check judged there was an issue at a breakdown a handful of phases before the break and so action was brought back for a Saints-fed scrum in their half.

There was still to be a fifth for Chiefs. Rafe Witheat couldn’t take a spiral pass which bounced once and went over his head on the wing, allowing a leaping Hodge to collect. Feeding Brown-Bampoe on the edge of the 22, there was no doubting the winger’s footwork would enable him to evade tackles to score.

Slade’s conversion was his last act of the game as he was substituted having secured it.

There was to be a final piece of icing put on the cake when, with seconds left, Skinner glided his way through the defence and over the whitewash for a seventh Chiefs try. With Hodge’s conversion, the game was decided, and Chiefs had secured five points to their name in the league table.

Full-time: Chiefs 42 – 14 Saints

Chiefs: J Hodge; N Lilley, H Slade (Haydon-Wood 77’), W Rigg (Tua 49’), P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, S Townsend (Cairns 51’); S Sio (Blose 20’), J Yeandle (Frost 51’), M Street (Iosefa-Scott 45’), R Tuima (Tshiunza 61’), D Jenkins (c), J Vermeulen (Moloney 51’), R Capstick, E Roots.

Tries: Lilley, Skinner 2, Brown-Bampoe 2, Moloney, Hodge Conversions: Slade 5

Yellow card: Will Rigg

Saints: J Garside; T Cousins, T Seabrook (Logan 76’), T Litchfield, W Glister (Witheat 66’); T James (Baker 51’), J Weimann; T West (Haffar 22’), H Walker (Wright 40’), E Millar-Mills (Green 40’), E Prowse, C Munya, T Lockett (c) (Hunter-Hill 59’), F Brown, A Scott-Young (Benson 68’).

Tries: Garside, Lockett Conversions: James 2

Referee: Karl Dickson

Attendance: 8,899