Warriors 10 Chiefs 41
Worcester Warriors 10
Exeter Chiefs 41
Mark Stevens at Sixways
With various parts of the world being battered from pillar to post, Worcester Warriors felt the full force of Rob Baxter’s Exeter Chiefs as they made it back-to-back wins in the Aviva Premiership.
The defending champions were at their ruthless best in the Midlands, running in another five-try display against the Warriors, who scant reward in a one-sided encounter came from a second half Biyi Alo try and five points from the boot of Sam Olver.
At the other end, Devon’s finest were again impressive with young Sam Simmonds again leading the way. The all-action No.8 helped himself to two of the visiting tries with Jack Nowell, Jonny Hill and Olly Woodburn also finding their way over.
Fly-half Gareth Steenson did the remainder of the damage, producing an unblemished night with his trusty right boot, slotting 16 points to put the Chiefs back at the summit of English rugby’s top tier.
Having pocketed their first maximum of the season against London Irish the previous week, it was little surprise that Baxter stuck with a largely unchanged squad for the trip to the Midlands.Exeter’s sole change came in the front-row where Carl Rimmer was given the nod over Ben Moon at loose-head.
The Warriors, meanwhile, also made just one change, but there was an enforced one with prop Biyi Alo coming into the side following a nasty ankle injury sustained by South African Nick Schonert in their home defeat to Wasps on Sunday.
Keen to pick up from where they left off against the Exiles, the visitors started brightly and were in front inside two minutes when Steenson kicked an early penalty after experienced Warriors lock Donncha O’Callaghan was penalised for illegally diving in.
It was the ideal start for the Chiefs, who in the minutes that followed were happy to try and peg their rivals back in a kicking battle aimed at not only gaining vital yardage, but also running around the heavyweight Worcester pack of forwards.
No.8 Sam Simmonds and centre Ian Whitten then preceded to make some hard yards with a couple of trademarks raids through the middle, but the Warriors scrambled sufficiently to keep them at bay.
Worcester duly made the most of the left-off and in a rare venture into the Chiefs half, they drew level on 17 minutes when the visitors were penalised for obstruction when England star Jack Nowell took the ball into heavy traffic on halfway. The infringement allowed Olver a shot at target and the replacement fly-half did not disappoint, landing a lengthy penalty to make it 3-3.
Olver’s effort would be the only bright spot in a first half in which the Warriors were evidently second best. The power, pace and physicality of the Chiefs was a sight to behold and enabled Baxter’s side to get regular front foot ball.
Winger Olly Woodburn was denied a try just moments later after Dave Dennis was adjudged - via TV match official Keith Lewis - to have knocked on in the build-up to the score, but the Chiefs attacking wave showed no sign of abating as they hit the Warriors with three successful tries before the break.
The first of those scores came when the Chiefs attempted to unpick the Warriors defence with a carbon copy of Nowell’s score in May’s Premiership Final at Twickenham. Worcester - unlike Wasps - were not caught out on this occasion, but they could not recover sufficiently in the ensuing play as Simmonds ploughed over by the posts to restore Exeter’s lead.
Steenson bagged the conversion to that score and Exeter’s second try, which arrived just past the half-hour mark. Using the pack to punch holes into the home defence, it was Aussie international Nic White, who had wrapped round on a move to loop the ball out to the right to Nowell, who finished with aplomb in the right corner.
The Travelling Tribe were already in full battle cry on the far side, but they had further reason to cheer just before the break when the Chiefs added a third converted score. Henry Slade caused the initial havoc with a mazy, yet powerful, break through the middle, before the ball was shipped at pace to the left to Woodburn, who drew the cover before offloading to Hill for his maiden try in Exeter colours.
HALF TIME WORCESTER WARRIORS 3 EXETER CHIEFS 24
Some shell-shocked as they trooped off at the break, the Warriors were probably glad to have the chance to not only assess matters, but also regroup and devise a battle plan to bring them back into the contest.
Home hooker Jack Singleton was replaced during the interval, still feeling the effects of a huge hit in the build-up to Hill’s score, and it was his replacement, Joe Taufete’e, who led a spirited opening blast from the Warriors on the resumption.
Early pressure saw the Midlanders set up camp in the Exeter 22. They pressed and probed, going left, then right, but the Chiefs were manfully sticking to their defensive task well.
That was until Alo latched onto a Jonny Arr pass, before bulldozing his way towards the line. Again, referee Ian Tempest was unsure of the grounding amid the masses of bodies on the deck, referring to the TMO once more who, on this occasion, judged in favour of the hosts. Olver converted from in front of the posts.
The score clearly annoyed the ‘Men in White’ and they quickly regathered their composure to hit the Warriors where it hurts.
Replacement Lachie Turner should have scored when put in by Steenson just yards from the home line, but the Aussie international spilt the ball in contact and the chance was lost.
Undeterred, the Chiefs continued to pile forward and having stretched their lead with a second Steenson penalty, they grabbed the all-important fourth try just past the hour mark.
England international Slade instigated the move, his clever chip over the onrushing Warriors defence, bounced into the path of Whitten, who in turn shipped the ball left to the onrushing Woodburn to score his second try of the campaign. Not surprisingly, Steenson converted with ease to stretch his side’s lead to 34-10 entering into the final quarter.
The game may been done and dusted, but the Chiefs were in no mood to shut off for the night. Instead, Baxter’s side were desperate to inflict further misery and this they did with just five minutes remaining when Simmonds grabbed his second of the night - and his 11th in just 15 games - when he found his way over from a five-metre line-out.
It sealed a perfect evening out for the Chiefs, who now have a full eight days to ready themselves ahead of the visit of old rivals Wasps, who themselves will be hell-bent on revenge following May’s dramatic final at Twickenham,
Worcester Warriors: J Adams; P Humphreys, J Willison, B Te’o, B Heem; T Heathcote (S Olver 11, J Shillcock 53), J Arr (P Stringer 63); R Bower (E Waller 53), J Singleton (J Taufete’e h/t), B Alo (G Milasinovich 53); D O’Callaghan (capt, C Scotland-Williamson 61), P Phillips; M Cox, S Lewis (A Faosiliva 42-53, 56), GJ van Velze.
Try - Alo; Conversion - Olver; Penalty - Olver
Exeter Chiefs: P Dollman (L Turner h/t); J Nowell, H Slade, I Whitten (M Bodilly 63), O Woodburn (S Townsend 70); G Steenson, N White (S Townsend 47-56); C Rimmer (B Moon 50), J Yeandle (capt, E Taione 42), T Francis (H Williams 50); M Lees, J Hill (S Skinner 57); D Dennis (M Kvesic 61), D Armand, S Simmonds.
Try - S Simmonds (2), Nowell, Hill, Woodburn; Conversions - Steenson (5); Penalties - Steenson (2)
Yellow Card: Townsend
Referee: I Tempest
Attendance: 7,003