Chiefs claim victory over Quins

Match report: Harlequins 21 Exeter Chiefs 32

Rob Baxter admitted afterwards if he could bottle the desire shown by his players in this display, then it would be a remedy coaches around the world would be keen to dish out by the spoonful.

Exeter Chiefs moved back into the top three of the Aviva Premiership with a hard fought victory over Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop.

Another masterful display from fly-half Henry Slade saw the young playmaker help himself to 27 points on the day, whilst flanker Ben White weighed in with the other score during an action-packed first half.

Harlequins played their part in an absorbing contest, Nick Evans claiming 16 points alongside a second half score from Matt Hopper, but it was never enough to deny the Devonians, who even had to withstand three yellow cards on the day.

Having returned to winning ways in the top flight with an impressive 46-17 win over Newcastle Falcons, it was little surprise that Baxter stuck with an unchanged starting XV for their trip to the capital.

Indeed, the sole change in personnel came on the bench where Dave Lewis was preferred to Haydn Thomas back-up scrum-half.

Quins, meanwhile, were able to welcome back England international Nick Easter to skipper their side at No.8, whilst former Cornish Pirates forward Dave Ward was given the nod at hooker.

Keen to bounce back after their 37-6 trouncing at Wasps, it was the Londoners who opened up the brighter of the two sides.

Early attacking raids failed to bring reward due to some stout Exeter defence, but when visiting wing Ian Whitten was harshly sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on as he looked to tackle Luke Wallace, it allowed Harlequins the opportunity to strike through the deadly Evans.

The former All Black slotted the resultant penalty before threatening again when he charged down Slade’s intended clearance in midfield. Hacking the loose ball forward, the experienced No.10 just missed out in the subsequent sprint race to the line as Phil Dollman raced back to touchdown just ahead of him.

It was certainly a let-off for Baxter’s men, who were then reduced to 13 men when Dollman was the second Chief sent to the cooler by referee Matt Carley for a no-arm tackle on Marland Yarde as he looked to cross in the right corner.

Almost immediately Harlequins made their numerical advantage tell as they exploited the gaps out wide in the Exeter defensive line to send Evans cruising over for the opening try, which he was unable to convert.
Up against it, the Chiefs needed a rapid response and it arrived straight from the restart as home centre Matt Hopper was pulled up for holding on in the tackle.

Up stepped the ice-cool Slade, who dispatched a sublime long-range penalty with the minimum amount of fuss.

Two minutes later and the visitors got themselves in front as White ploughed through the middle of a line-out to charge down Danny Care’s box-kick and then pounce on the loose ball to score the try.

Slade landed the easy conversion, but then saw a second long-range penalty cannon back off the right post after the home side had strayed offside following Will Chudley’s hanging box kick.

The young playmaker, though, made amends on the half-hour mark when he slotted his second penalty of the game only for Evans to follow suit after Jack Nowell had been singled out as the culprit for a high tackle on Ward.

As half time closed in, the Chiefs thought they had claimed their second try of the afternoon when Dollman stole over in the left corner.

Sadly, the Welshman was denied, supposedly for a forward pass called by the touch judge.

The fact the officials failed to check with the TV official was telling as replays late showed Chudley’s pass was indeed behind play. Harlequins were duly awarded the scrum, but they made a hash of the set-piece and the Chiefs pounced instantly as they won the scrum themselves, winning a penalty that Slade landed with the last kick of the half.

Half time: Harlequins 11 Exeter Chiefs 16.