Powerful Exeter blow past Leicester Tigers

Champions Exeter continued their unbeaten run in the Gallagher Premiership with a 35-13 bonus-point victory over Leicester.

The score reflected Exeter’s territory and possession dominance as tries from hooker Jack Yeandle, flanker Jannes Kirsten, wing Ian Whitten, number eight Sam Simmonds and centre Ollie Devoto, plus four conversions from fly-half Joe Simmonds and one by replacement Jack Walsh saw them home.

Leicester worked hard in defence and scored a try from lock Calum Green, with fly-half Zack Henry booting a conversion and two penalties.

But it was the penalty count against Leicester which hurt them. They gave away 21 penalties to Exeter’s nine and defended like heroes until they were blown away in the last quarter.

Leicester went ahead within two minutes when a ruck infringement gave Henry a 24-metre penalty.

But that was the last real pressure that the Tigers had for the next half-hour as they gave up too many penalties that gave Exeter plenty of field position inside the home half.

The Chiefs pack, in particular, tried to boss the Tigers eight. And, from a tap penalty near the Leicester posts, the home pack let Yeandle in for a try that Simmonds converted.

Exeter pushed on, yet, after that first 30 minutes, Tigers hit back. Henry took advantage of an error by the Chiefs on their own 22 to slot three points.

Then the home pack showed they could give as well as take by hammering the Exeter eight backwards over their own line from an attacking throw for Green to emerge with the ball.

Henry converted, within moments, Tigers centre Jaco Tautte produced an outstanding tap tackle on Chiefs centre Tom Hendricksson that prevented a certain try.

And the home eight withstood another bout of penalties on their own line to stop the Chiefs from scoring again, the relieving penalty into the stands sent Leicester in 13-7 ahead.

Lock Harry Wells put in another try-saving tackle a metre from his own line, this time on Chiefs centre Devoto.

Two tries in three minutes, though, turned the game Exeter’s way. Huge pressure on the Leicester line again saw Kirsten go over and another attack saw Townsend put a grubber to the corner for Whitten to score. Simmonds converted both.

Leicester shot themselves in the foot twice on the hour. Henry ran down the right and had scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth inside with the line at his mercy. But the young fly-half held onto the ball and was pushed into touch.

Then wing Harry Simmons stuck a leg out to trip Townsend and was yellow carded.

And the game was up eight minutes from time when another Exeter attacking line-out saw Dave Ewers and Sam Simmonds combine for Simmonds to score the bonus-point try.

An interception try by Devoto three minutes from time was the icing on the cake for a third Exeter victory this season.