Sale overwhelm Exeter to hand Rob Baxter's side 10th straight defeat

Sale secured a 28-10 bonus-point victory, which maintained their 100 per cent winning home record this season and condemned rock-bottom Exeter to another loss.

Centre Luke James and full-back Joe Carpenter scored first-half tries before a penalty try, and Jonny Hill’s score gave Alex Sanderson’s men a five-point haul, leaving the Chiefs with eight straight Premiership defeats this season.

It was also Exeter’s 10th straight reverse in major competitions following their back-to-back setbacks against the Sharks and Toulouse in the European Champions Cup.

Rob Baxter’s visitors, who also lost England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to a shoulder injury during the first half, fought hard in difficult conditions, but Sale were worthy winners.

The hosts had picked up maximum points against Racing 92 last weekend, and they remain unbeaten in the northwest in all competitions so far this campaign.

England scrum-half Raffi Quirke made his first Premiership start of the season, while Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Arron Reed and Ernst van Rhyn also returned as Sanderson made four changes to his starting XV.

Ben Bamber, Gus Warr, and Tom O’Flaherty dropped to the bench, while James Harper missed out with a head injury suffered in the Champions Cup win against Racing 92 last time out.

Exeter boss Baxter made a number of changes to his side following last Sunday’s thumping 64-21 home defeat against Toulouse in the Champions Cup.

Scott Sio and Marcus Street return to the side at loosehead and tighthead prop, respectively.

Ethan Roots started at the blindside flanker, with Ross Vintcent moving to the openside to accommodate Greg Fisilau, who was number eight, while Stu Townsend and Henry Slade continued their half-back partnership.

Quirke made a lively start as Sale’s playmaker, but try-scoring opportunities were scarce in the opening exchanges.

The Sharks conceded a penalty in the seventh minute,e which Slade sent between the posts to make it 3-0.

Yet Sale steadied themselves and began to enjoy some possession in Exeter territory before finally breaching Exeter’s line in the 22nd minute.

It came after good work from Quirke and Ben Curry and culminated in James backing himself to burst through a gap to score.

Rob du Preez added the conversion to make it 7-3 in Sale’s favour, but Exeter’s cause was not helped when Feyi-Waboso departed through injury.

Sale then scored their second try in the 36th minute when full-back Carpenter collected a loose ball just inside his own half and showed blistering pace to race clear to score.

Du Preez added his second conversion to make it 14-3 at the break, and 10 minutes after the interval, Sale was awarded a penalty try, which saw Exeter captain Dafydd Jenkins sin-binned.

Exeter showed spirit, and Jimmy Roots barged over from close range for their only try, which Slade converted, but Hill went over late on for Sale’s fourth to clinch the bonus point, and Du Preez again converted.