Chiefs snatch losing bonus point

Just how important this losing bonus point might be we won’t know for a few weeks yet, but the fact Exeter Chiefs salvaged something from a tough afternoon in the East Midlands could be quite telling in the grand scheme of things.

With time all but up, it appeared Rob Baxter’s side were going to head home from their latest trek to the East Midlands with little more than a muddy shirt and a heap of ‘if only’s’ to contemplate.

Thankfully, the Chiefs never know when they are beaten and in one last hurrah – or should I say – one last push of defiance, they won a successful penalty that brought them back to within the crucial seven-point range.

Fly-half Henry Slade, who had a mixed day with the boot, slotted that kick and another penalty, as well as converting one of Exeter’s two tries on the day through Thomas Waldrom and Will Chudley.

However, it was not enough to thwart the Tigers, who landed a telling second half try from Exeter-bound England star Geoff Parling and 17 points from the boot of fly-half Freddie Burns.

Back in Premiership action for the first time in a fortnight, Baxter wasted little time in recalling the majority of his frontline stars, many of whom had sat out the recent LV= Cup block of fixtures, including last week’s final against Saracens.

Initially just two remained in harness from the week previous – Carl Rimmer and Mitch Lees – but that was increased by one just prior to kick-off when tight-head Tomas Francis was ruled out by a sickness bug, so Alex Brown was promoted to the No.3 shirt with Scottish international Moray Low drafted onto the bench.

Also included in the visiting ranks was Waldrom, the league’s top try-scorer, who was making his first return back to his former club.

Meanwhile, the Tigers – who were undone 30-22 by the Chiefs two weeks earlier in the LV= Cup semi-final – were also able to parade a powerful arsenal of talent, boosted in the main by their returning English contingent of the Youngs brothers – Tom and Ben – Dan Cole and Geoff Parling, who next season will be pulling on an Exeter jersey.

For the full match report see: http://exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/tigers-25-chiefs-18/