Exeter’s power leaves the Sharks floundering
EXETER are a side who want to be unfazed by the pressure of these final championship rounds, and by securing this four-try away bonus point win to send Sale to their second successive defeat of the restart, they delivered on their mission statement in style.
The Chiefs, now eight points clear of second-placed Bristol, are firm favourites to win their second Premiership title, having spoiled Manu Tuilagi’s home debut by weathering a first-half Sharks assault, before flooring them after the interval to put Sale’s semi-final chances in jeopardy.
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter was pleased with the overall display: “We got challenged, and we went through a period where we were a bit afraid to play, and Sale sniffed it and went hard at us. But we worked our way through it, regrouped at halftime, and grew through the half as players started to step-up.” Exeter had posted a warning when No.8 Sam Simmonds raced clear after two minutes, following an Olly Woodburn clean break from Henry Slade’s insidepass.
But no sooner had Joe Simmonds converted his brother’s handiwork to go 7-0 ahead than Sale responded with a ferocity and flair in sharp contrast to their sleep-walk at Harlequins a week ago.
In a blistering opening ten minutes the Sharks hit back with two tries in three minutes, both from drives on lineout wins in the Exeter 22 by the towering Lood de Jager. The momentum for the first came from a thunderous Tuilagi charge up the middle, and after Jonno Ross carried it on, Faf de Klerk’s pass put Tom Curry over.
With the Chiefs midfield reeling, Sale struck again when fly-half Robert du Preez slid past three tacklers to dot down, and his conversions gave the Sharks a 14-7 lead.
Sale rattled Exeter again on the half-hour when they forced a five metre lineout after another Tuilagi incursion – but the visitors avoided further damage thanks to lock Jonny Hill clambering through the middle of the maul to scoop the ball of f Akker van der Merwe.
When the Sharks breakdown discipline wavered a Joe Simmonds penalty made it 14-10, and on the stroke of half-time the outstanding Hill got Exeter out of jail ag ain by beating de Ja ger to a crucial deflection at a Sale five metre lineout.
Although a Robert du Preez penalty just after the break extended Sale’s lead to 17-10 it also signalled the end of any parity in the contest.
As Exeter went up two gears in terms of power and preci- sion, Sale started to come unstuck in the contact area and the penalty count.
After a close-range try by Jacques Ver meulen, converted by Simmonds, levelled it at 17-17, Exeter went ahead from a driven Hill lineout catch. This saw Slade and Joe Simmonds put Woodburn through the gap before giving Stuart Hogg the scoring pass.
Joe Simmonds could not convert, but when he made up for it with a monster penalty into the wind from halfway, Exeter led 25-17.
There was no respite for Sale, who were reduced to 14 men during the final quarter when Tom Curry was yellow-carded for a late tackle on Ho gg when he was in the air.
Luke Cowan-Dickie took full advantage, securing the bonus point by smashing through three Sale defenders from a tap-and-go penalty – and with Simmonds converting to make it 32-17 the Chiefs were home and dry .
Sharks did manage a late strike when Denny Solomona dived in at the corner, but by then Exeter had packed their bags for Tuesday’s top-of-the-table clash at Bristol.
CLOSE-UP
LOOD DE JAGER
Sale second row
JONNY HILL
Exeter second row
This was evidence that Hill has developed into a Test quality second row, because De Jager had a good game for Sale, and he eclipsed the Springbok world champion.
Two Hill steals – one rip, one deflection – were match-clinching, and his overall work in the lineout and loose shone.
