Match Report: Sale 26 – 27 Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs laid out a marker that they should not be counted down and out this season as a resurgent second half performance saw them overcome a 20-point deficit to take an important win at the CorpAcq Stadium against Sale Sharks.

In stark contrast to a fortnight ago, the rain was held at bay for this round six Gallagher PREM fixture. Though there was a bitter cold in the stadium, the game was played in dry conditions.

Errors thwarted the Chiefs in the first half as Sale continued to add to their lead before the Chiefs leadership group took the reigns in the second half, guiding the Exeter side to victory.

In what has already been a tough week for Tom Curry, his fortune wasn’t improved when he was shown an early yellow card for a high hit on Josh Hodge five minutes in. The penalty within range of the posts gave Henry Slade the opportunity to open his account at the tee.

Unfortunately for Chiefs, the same fate awaited Tom Hooper as the Wallabies international was sent to the sin bin for a similar offence. George Ford made use of the shot at goal to even up the score before quickly edging his side ahead with a second penalty, this time from the breakdown.

Slade evened things up after a dominant engagement from the pack earned Chiefs a scrum penalty but Ford almost instantly added a third.

On 24 minutes, the wily veteran Luke James spotted an inch of space in the Chiefs defence. Running onto a pass at pace, he charged through the line and after a quick one-on-one with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, made his way under the posts. Ford’s conversion took Sale a clean 10 points ahead of Chiefs.

With two minutes left in the half, Ford slotted a fourth penalty to put Sale 19-6 ahead at the break.

Half-time: Sale 19 – 6 Chiefs

A second half comeback was made a tougher job for Chiefs when Sale struck first. Playing with pace and clean handling from touchline to touchline, winger Alex Wills took the final pass, bumping off Chiefs men to score in the corner.

With Rob Du Preez’s conversion, Sale ticked to 20 points ahead of the Exeter men.

Replacement and club captain Jack Yeandle scored Chiefs’ first try of the evening less than five minutes after entering the field. Originally driving for the line in a maul formation, Olly Woodburn took the first carry off the back before Yeandle found himself on the end of a recycled ball, crashing over at the bootlaces of the Sale defenders.

Slade’s conversion took the score to 26-13 and helped reenergise the Chiefs.

From one club centurion to another, Woodburn scored Chiefs second with a graceful swan dive tight to the corner flag, having controlled an offload from Dafydd Jenkins. After a quick TMO check to ensure the winger wasn’t in touch, Slade curled a kick around perfectly to add the extra two points.

Well and truly proving it was an evening for the experienced heads, Scott Sio scored a third Chiefs try. Forcing his bulky figure over the line with the extra drive of a latcher, the prop who recently helped Manu Samoa qualify for the Rugby World Cup took five points. Slade made it seven with a conversion, putting Chiefs into a one-point lead.

Through grit and grind, the Exeter men managed to protect that narrowest of lead to claim a massive victory on the road. A first away win on the road in over a year means Chiefs close out Friday evening at the top of the league table.

Full-time: Sale 26 – 27 Chiefs

Sale: L James; T O’Flaherty, R Du Preez; R Ma’asi-White, A Wills; G Ford (Louw 61’), G Warr (Quirke 64’); S McIntyre, L Cowan-Dickie, A Opoku-Fordjour (Harper), E Van Rhyn (c), B Bamber, J Vermeulen (Jibulu 55’), T Curry, D Du Preez (Burrow 61’).

Unused replacements: Onasanya, Andrews, Grace

Tries: James, Wills Conversions: Ford, R Du Preez Penalties: Ford 4

Yellow card: Tom Curry

Chiefs: J Hodge (Hammersley 40’); I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, L Ikitau, O Woodburn; H Skinner, C Chapman; W Goodrick-Clarke (Sio 50’), J Dweba (Yeandle 50’), J Iosefa-Scott (Tchumbadze 38’), D Jenkins (c), A Zambonin, T Hooper, E Roots, G Fisilau.

Unused replacements: Pearson, James, Cairns, Haydon-Wood

Tries: Yeandle, Woodburn, Sio Conversions: Slade 3 Penalties: Slade 2

Yellow card: Tom Hooper

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe