Exeter leave the capital with the bonus-point win that restores them to second in the Premiership
Sam Simmonds became the leading try-scorer in a Gallagher Premiership season as Exeter swept aside London Irish 31-12 at Brentford Community Stadium. Simmonds plundered his 17th, 18th and 19th tries to eclipse the previous milestone jointly held by Dominic Chapman and Christian Wade with three rounds of the regular season still to play.
The first two were trademark Exeter as Simmonds burrowed over from close range, while the third was a high-speed run-in, each demonstrating the try-scoring prowess that has booked his place on the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa this summer.
The No8 has been out of favour with England since 2018 when he won the last of his seven caps and Eddie Jones was in the stands to witness the latest stellar moment of a remarkable season. Simmonds struck twice inside the opening quarter to eclipse a mark of 17 set in the 1997/98 campaign and with younger brother Joe and Tom O’Flaherty also crossing, Exeter left the capital with a bonus-point win that restores them to second in the table.
But a crowd of 3,988 saw them forced to dig deep at times as they inflicted a fourth successive defeat on Irish, who crossed through Ben Donnell and Ben Loader and rallied impressively after a poor start. It took Simmonds just seven minutes to equal the record when he forced his way over to finish a pick and go barrage that began with a lineout.
Irish responded with a similar try scored by Donnell that was only awarded when Paddy Jackson requested that it be reviewed by the TMO having initially been ruled out by referee Christophe Ridley. It was all too easy as Joe Simmonds ran in Exeter’s second, capitalising on O’Flaherty winning the ball in the air to spot Lovejoy Chawatama in midfield and easily round the prop before switching on the afterburners to cross.
There's no stopping Exeter's No8 Sam Simmonds as he breaks a Premiership try record that has stood since 1997/98… see how he did it ??#LIRvEXE https://t.co/rZn8Rta0H9
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 18, 2021
And to continue the Simmonds show that was unfolding in west London, Sam wrote his name into the history books with another close-quarter score as the Chiefs’ forward power made its mark. While defensively vulnerable Irish have few problems engineering tries and in the 34th minute, they showed their ruthless streak when Stuart Hogg was tackled while attempting a clearance and several phases later Loader was over.
The Exiles staged another promising attack as they looked to overturn a 19-12 deficit but the move broke down and it was Exeter who finished the half the stronger side. Former Wales star Alex Cuthbert was making his presence felt in defence and attack on his comeback from a hamstring injury, but it was on the other wing where the Chiefs struck next as O’Flaherty pounced on a blunder by Loader to touch down.
O’Flaherty went to the sin-bin for tackling full-back Tom Parton in the air and inevitably Simmonds had the final say when he took Cuthbert’s pass to sprint over and complete his hat-trick.
'I can definitely see it in some of his performances at Cornish Pirates because we were getting all the videos and in the Championship he had a point of difference in pace and power.'
– reports @heagneyl ???https://t.co/k7dZeN3jjR
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 16, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments