Exeter Chiefs 19 : 13 Wasps

Exeter Chiefs completed a historic rugby double with a win over Wasps at a windy and rainy Twickenham.

Not many minutes of this game will make the Chiefs 2020 highlight video. The best rugby moment of the match was Jacob Umaga’s superb try for Wasps.

But Chiefs exceled in several key areas notable winning Wasps line outs, including one on the closing minutes when the yellow shirts were on their line and just three points behind. They won an incredible five of the Wasps eleven overall.

“Wasps looked like a side who had just beaten COVID but Exeter rarely looked like the side who had just beaten Racing.”

The wet ball ensured plenty of spills with regular handling errors, initially by Wasps but soon equalised by Exeter’s sloppiness.

That Wasps, who were not even cleared to play until midweek, kept this tie so close for so long was a testament to their durability. But in the end, mental fatigue took its toll. Having conceded just eight penalties in the first hour, they conceded seven more in the remaining 20 minutes, which removed any chance of stealing the game late.

But it would be unreasonable to give the impression that it was only Wasps’ shortage of preparation and shallowness of squad that prevented a win.  The Chiefs had a massive territorial advantage, approaching 65%.

Wasps coach Lee Blackett summed it up well:

“I’m proud of how we reacted this week and the grit and determination we showed today close to our own line – character, fight, desire.

“Exeter probably had more field position and on reflection probably deserved their win. But we had a position there with a few minutes to go and we didn’t take it. The call was made on the field, we just didn’t execute it.”

The call he was referring to was a bewildering decision three minutes from time. They had just driven the tiring Exeter pack back and were awarded a penalty on the touchline.

While all were expecting another shove for a push over try, they unexpectedly kick for touch, gaining barely a yard, and forcing a line out – an area where they had been outclassed all game.

Predictably, Exeter win that line out and the chance was lost. Bewildering.

Harry Slade scored Exeter’s sole try after 17 minutes. The England centre broke through the first tackle 40 yards out, leaving Tom Willis stranded with a neat dummy. His run to the try line was uninterrupted thereafter.

You might have expected that to herald an unleashing of the dominant rugby Exeter have shown all season but it was a blip. They struggled to threaten the Wasps  line and relied on Joe Simmonds’s boot for a narrow 13-10 half time lead.

Wasps score came from the moment of the match with several neat passes involving Dan Robson and Zach Kibirige who combined to send Jacob Umaga over the line to temporarily give Wasps a 10-7 lead.

Wasps’ defence, especially captain Joe Launchbury, was heroic in preventing further tries, but by half time two  Simmonds penalties had regained the lead for the West Country side.

Exeter struggled in the second half to make their massive territorial advantage pay. They weren’t at their best while easily containing the Wasps’ threat. As Wasps tired, they looked like a side who had just beaten COVID but Exeter rarely looked like the side who had just beaten Racing.

After the escape on their own try line, a final penalty put a veneer on the scoreline that Exeter’s overall dominance deserved.

Exeter boss Rob Baxter was commendably less than exuberant about the display alluding to how much bigger last week’s win was:

“The biggest emotion right here and now is one of relief. I know that sounds strange when you win a competition, but I think last week plays a huge part in that.

“Whatever would have happened today, if we hadn’t have won it would have certainly taken the shine off that a little bit.

“What this allows us to do is to genuinely stop and pause and look back a little bit over a very good season over two very good competitions and allow us to actually now spend some time reflecting on how important the work these guys have done has been to the club.”

Compared to their historic victory over Racing to win the European Cup, this was not the Chiefs at their best. However it was good enough, aided by some basic handling errors by their opponents and one late incomprehensible call, to crown them as champions of England as well as champions of Europe.

Exeter: Hogg; Nowell, Slade, Devoto, Woodburn; Simmonds (capt), Maunder; Hepburn, Cowan-Dickie, Williams, Skinner, Hill, Ewers, Kirsten, Simmonds.

Replacements: Yeandle, Moon, Francis, Gray, Vermeulen, Hidalgo-Clyne, Steenson, Ian Whitten.

Wasps: Minozzi; Kibirige, de Jongh, Gopperth, Bassett; Umaga, Robson; West, Taylor, Toomaga-Allen, Launchbury (capt), Rowlands, J Willis, Young, T Willis.

Replacements: Oghre, Harris, Alo, Gaskell, Morris, Vellacott, Sopoaga, Le Bourgeois.

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