Chiefs book their place in LV=Cup Final

Match report: Leicester Tigers 22 Exeter Chiefs 30

Exeter Chiefs remain on course to become the first-ever side to defend the LV= Cup after they saw off rivals Leicester Tigers in a pulsating encounter in the East Midlands.

Rob Baxter’s side booked themselves a final date against Saracens next Sunday having produced a dogged, yet determined display against their illustrious hosts.

Tongan duo Elvis Taione and Fetu’u Vainikolo both claimed a try apiece in the first half, whilst the metronomic boot of skipper Ceri Sweeney was good enough to keep the Tigers at bay for much of the contest.

Even when the Tigers threatened to pounce late in the game, the defending champions soaked up the pressure before adding the coupe de grace late on thanks to a third try from hooker Greg Bateman.

Leicester – it has to be said – played their part in this nail-biting affair as fly-half Tommy Bell helped himself to 17 points, alongside a try from prop Michele Rizzo, but it was not enough to thwart Devon’t finest.

Fresh from four successive Premiership victories, including a record-breaking 74-19 win over London Welsh, it was a much-changed Chiefs line-up that took to the field in the East Midlands.

Just Mitch Lees and Tom James were retained from the previous week, but it was still a more than powerful array of talent in the visiting ranks.

Likewise, the Tigers – who themselves were on a six-game winning streak in all competitions – paraded a healthy mix of youth and experience, including the most famous of them all, former All Black, Brad Thorn, in the home engine room.

Early on, though, it was the home side who set the tone and they broke the deadlock inside five minutes when a sizzling break from winger Miles Benjamin in midfield saw his elude a clutch of Exeter defenders before he offloaded to centre George Catchpole.

Still with work to do, the young centre tore in on the Exeter line, but although he was halted, the onrushing Rizzo was close at hand to ease his way over from five metres out for the try, which Bell duly converted.

Minutes later and Bell had the chance to add to his tally when Jerry Sexton was adjudged to have come in at the side of a ruck.

This time, the Tigers No.10 was not as successful, his long-range punt cannoning back off the far post.

The Chiefs made the most of the let-off and drew level on 14 minutes.

Having won a line-out deep inside Leicester’s 22, Baxter’s men made the most of the take from Lees to propel themselves towards the line – from which hooker Taione was able to burrow over from close range for the converted score.

Bell restored Leicester’s slender grip on things with his first successful penalty – only for the Chiefs to hit back with their second try of the game midway through the first half when Vainikolo picked off Laurence Pearce’s pass to race in unopposed under the home posts.

Welsh international Sweeney added the extras to that score, before adding a penalty as the visitors started to make hay up front with a well-drilled driving maul.

The kicking duel between the respective No.10s showed no sign of abating as the game headed towards the turn.

Both Bell and Sweeney added two penalties apiece as the Chiefs headed into the break with a slender four-point cushion.

Half time: Leicester Tigers 16 Exeter Chiefs 20.