Classy Exeter win thriller at Sale

It took just 90 seconds for Exeter to cross the line in this Gallagher Premiership round 15 clash.

An exquisite pass from Henry Slade sailed almost half the width of the pitch, giving Alex Cuthbert space out wide to turn slow ball into quick. That was followed two phases later by an intelligent inside pass from Joe Simmonds, an intelligent pass that allowed Olly Woodburn to glide through the Sale defence untouched where Woodburn drew his tackler, before putting Sam Simmonds in for the score.

Not the start that Sale wanted on their return to the AJ Bell stadium but the score set the tone for the entertainment that followed.

This early score only served to energise a powerful Sale team and Tom Curry went over for the hosts inside seven minutes, converting an almost polar opposite score.

Where Exeter had profited from intelligent back play, Sale’s success came from a lineout turned maul, and the three subsequent crash balls that obliterated the Exeter defence.

Industry to follow art. A second Sale try would follow moments later, more brutal Sale ball-carrying power epitomised by Manu Tuilagi, seemingly needing three tacklers to bring him down and by Faf De Klerk’s speed of delivery at the breakdown. 

Whilst the first quarter yielded three converted tries, the second quarter had only a Joe Simmonds penalty to trouble the scorers, giving Sale a 14-10 lead at half time. Despite the lack of scores, it was still an entertaining period of end to end rugby and the breakdown remained incredibly competitive with Tom Curry seemingly always involved in the game.

The second half started with more high quality rugby and the speed and precision of play was of international standard. If these two sides meet again in the Play-offs expect the game to be box-office.

A Sale penalty was followed by a great team try for Exeter; pressure built on Sale indiscipline but exerted by a patient Chiefs pack. With thirty minutes to go, the game was nicely set up at 17-all going into a drinks break.

On 52 minutes Exeter produced a blueprint for any young rugby payers watching; a driving maul that gained them hard yards but more importantly sapped the energy of the Sale pack & drew the Sale defence in, only for the ball to be moved wide and the backs to utilise the space to score.

Whilst finished by Stuart Hogg, the score was down to the brilliance again showed by Joe Simmonds the 23 year old Exeter fly half. The classy 10 took the ball under pressure, drew the tackle of Manu Tuilagi  before passing late to Olly Woodburn who for the second time provided the assist for the try.

Simmonds continued his great display by converting a penalty from the halfway line to give sale an 8-point lead just before the hour mark. More Sale poor discipline continued for Sale and a late hit by Tom Curry earned him 10 minutes in the sin-bin and gave Exeter great field position.

Exeter continued to build pressure before Luke Cowan-Dickie, replicating his score against Leicester Tigers, took a quick tap from five metres and proved too dynamic for the static Sale defence. 15 points inside 10 minutes from Exeter seemingly giving Sale a mountain to climb in the final quarter.

And so it proved to be. Despite throwing the kitchen sink at the Chiefs defence and a fine finish from Denny Solomona minutes before the final whistle, the Exeter defence prevailed.

Sale’s Director of Rugby Steve Diamond will rue his sides patience at the breakdown and lament on what could’ve been, but his counterpart Rob Baxter will be delighted with his sides ability to execute under pressure, scoring four tries against such a good side.

Joe Simmonds was rightly declared man of the match for his efforts and he was very much the difference between these two sides on the night.  

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