Baxter furious after 'Jekyll and Hyde’ performance leads to Chiefs home defeat

Exeter Chiefs 9 Leicester Tigers 21

Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs paid the price for a turgid first half display as defending Aviva Prermiership champions Leicester Tigers headed home with the points from a packed Sandy Park.

Not for the first time this season, the 'Jekyll and Hyde’ nature of the Chiefs was again in evidence as tries from Ben Youngs and Vereniki Goneva, plus a further five points from Toby Flood, gave the visitors a comfortable 15-0 lead at the turn.

The second half, however, was a whole different story and although Rob Baxter’s side improved significantly – edging the half 9-6 in total thanks to three penalties from fly-half Gareth Steenson – the fatal damage had already been inflicted.

Afterwards, Baxter – normally so placid whatever the result – explained his fury at his team’s first half display. He knows the flaws of his side’s showing and will spend this next week drilling into his troops the importance of performing for 80 minutes, not just 40 as has been the case so often this term.

Buoyed by successive league wins over London Wasps and London Irish, the Chiefs made just one change to their line-up ahead of kick-off with Dave Ewers returning in the back-row at the expense of Ben White.

The imposing No.8 was forced to sit out the trip to the Madejski Stadium the week previous with a hamstring complaint, but having recovered from that issue he was back at the base of the scrum with England international Tom Johnson back to his more favoured blindside role. The Tigers, fresh from their own home win over Newcastle Falcons, also made a string of changes, welcoming back a wealth of talent and experience into their ranks.

Those recalled were headed up by vice-captains Louis Deacon and Anthony Allen; whilst also back in from the outset were Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Julian Salvi and Niall Morris...

... The Chiefs did their best in the dying embers to try and rescue at least a bonus point, but their rivals were having none of it and professionally closed out the contest with a string of late replacements, all of which took the fizz out of Exeter’s charge.

Attendance: 9,524

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Gloucester (A), Aviva Premiership, Sunday, 5 October (2pm)

Click here for full report.

Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club / Pinnacle Photo Agency