Steenson kicks Chiefs to victory

Match report: Chiefs 27 Saracens 19

Gareth Steenson equalled the record for most penalties in an Aviva Premiership match as he kicked Exeter Chiefs to a significant victory over Saracens at Sandy Park.

The Irishman produced an unblemished nine from nine to further underline the top four credentials of Rob Baxter’s side, who in recent weeks have also toppled defending champions Northampton Saints and Wasps. Saracens countered with a late converted try from Maro Itoje and four penalties from Charlie Hodgson, but it was scant reward in a game in which the Chiefs ruled the roost.

Exeter’s forward domination was apparent from the outset as they squeezed the life out of their rivals, whilst behind playmaker Steenson directed his back division with ruthless efficiency and a masterful right boot. With five victories in their last six games, it was a pretty familiar looking line-up that took to the field for the Chiefs.

However, they did make three changes from that which defeated Wasps last time out.

Up front Ben Moon and Moray Low were included in the front-row, the latter for his maiden Premiership start, whilst behind fit-again Sam Hill took over in the centre from Ian Whitten.

Saracens, undone on home soil by Northampton seven days earlier, made six changes in personnel for their trip to the Westcountry.

Four came up front where there were starts for James Johnson, Mouritz Botha, Jacques Burger and Ernst Joubert; while behind Neil De Kock and Duncan Taylor were also included.

It was, however, the Chiefs who started the brighter and they opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes as great link-up work involving Dave Ewers and Low saw them position themselves deep inside the Sarries 22, where upon the visitors infringed at the ruck allowing Steenson to slot the resultant penalty with ease.

Minutes later and Baxter’s troops were back on the attack, this time hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie tearing through the heart of the Saracens line only to be felled by some desperate defence from the Londoners.

Parity was restored, though, on 14 minutes when Hodgson – the record points-scorer in Premiership history – landed his first points of the day when he guided a sublime kick between the posts from wide on the left after home full-back Phil Dollman had been pulled up for holding on in the tackle.

Undeterred the Chiefs quickly got back into their stride and they reclaimed the lead on 17 minutes when a high up and under from the hosts caused problems for Alex Goode, whose spilled catch was picked up in an offside position by Sarries skipper Alastair Hargreaves.

It allowed the deadly Steenson to have another shot at the target and the Ulsterman – as so often has been the case this season – delivered a telling blow from 35 metres out.

Again, Exeter’s lead proved short-lived as Hodgson added his second penalty of the game when referee Greg Garner adjudged at least two Chiefs were in an offside position as Steenson looked to clear his lines under heavy pressure.

However, the Devonians – just as they had done at Northampton earlier in the month – were using their kick game to deadly effect, using a heap of lengthy clearance to not only win the territory battle, but also keep Mark McCall’s side firmly pegged back deep inside their own half.

It was a tactic that was bringing huge reward as Steenson added a third penalty after the visitors again strayed offside following another spilled ball; then two more successful kicks – both won from powerful Exeter scrums – allowed the Chiefs No.10 to take his tally into the game to a creditable 15 points with just half hour having elapsed. Still the Chiefs came pouring forward in pursuit of more points as first the lively

Waldrom steamed his way through the middle at full tilt; then following a close-range line-out move, Ewers came within a whisker of scoring the game’s opening try. Referee Garner was undecided – he went to the TMO, Geoff Warren – who after multiple viewings awarded the Exeter man had been held up on the line.

Although denied the try, the Chiefs used the resultant five-metre scrum to attack once more. A succession of scrums saw a flurry of penalties awarded against the visitors, the last of which saw prop Johnston banished to the sidelines for 10 minutes.

Rather than go for a potential penalty try, the home side opted for the sticks and Steenson did not disappoint as he landed a sixth penalty of the half.

Half time: Exeter Chiefs 18 Saracens 6.

Read the rest of the report here.