Exeter Chiefs suffer league set back

Exeter Chiefs 9 Saracens 16

Exeter Chiefs may have huffed and puffed, but ultimately they could not blow over Aviva Premiership leaders Saracens in a hard fought encounter at Sandy Park.

In a compelling fixture – one in which neither side were willing to give an inch throughout – Saracens withstood a late attacking onslaught from their Devon hosts to record a notable scalp on the road.

Prior to this engagement, just Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers had prospered in 2013 from league visits to the Westcountry, so it was only right Saracens were pleased as punch to add their name to a somewhat elite list.

After the fortnightly change of scene in the LV= Cup, it was back to the bread and butter of Premiership action for the Chiefs, who again were able to field a powerful array of talent from the outset. Cornishman Jack Nowell was included on the right wing for his first top flight start of the season, whilst Ian Whitten was given the nod in the home midfield alongside Sam Hill.

Saracens, as you’d expect, were also fully loaded in terms of their attacking arsenal, which was boosted by the return of both Chris Ashton and Billy Vunipola following their exertions for England during the autumn internationals. Alongside them, skipper Steve Borthwick was the experienced head in the engine room, whilst Hodgson – the league’s all-time top points-scorer – offered the tactical acumen at No.10.

Not that Hodgson had much chance to show his undoubted credentials as the former England international’s afternoon lasted just over a minute before he was forced to leave the field following a heavy collision with Exeter hooker Jack Yeandle.

With Hodgson off the field, it was Exeter who looked to set the early tone in attack. Initially the signs were encouraging as the back division looked to move the ball at pace from one side of the field to the other – indeed it was Nowell’s first real raid that brought about an early penalty chance for the home side. Sadly, Steenson was unable to land the lengthy kick, drifting his punt wide of the right post.

Saracens made the most of the early let off and took the lead when Ransom, on as the replacement for the stricken Hodgson, applied the finish following a surging run from Ashton that cut through the heart of the home defence. Goode duly added the extras to give the Londoners a seven-point advantage.

It was somewhat harsh on the Chiefs, but they rallied well and came within a whisker of claiming a swift response through Whitten. After a slick handling move from the hosts, the ball was worked from left to right to Nowell, who in turn fed Whitten who despite taking the ball at pace was adjudged – via the TV match official – to have been felled just short of the line.

As defences ruled the roost, both sides looked for alternative ways to make an impact. The visitors looked for the aerial approach, courtesy of numerous ‘up and under’ bombs; whilst the Chiefs preferred more a direct approach from some hard hitting runs through the middle.

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*Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club/ Pinnacle Photo Agency