Exeter fight back from 20-point deficit to hand Sale rare home defeat

Exeter came from 26-6 down to secure a dramatic 27-26 win and inflict a rare home defeat on Sale as the Gallagher Prem resumed after a month-long break during the autumn internationals.

Alex Sanderson’s Sharks had lost only once at home in the league since January 2024, but the visitors from Devon showed impressive spirit to mount a superb second-half fightback.

Three tries from Jack Yeandle, Olly Woodburn and Scott Sio, all converted by Henry Slade, gave the Chiefs victory and sent them top of the Prem table on points difference ahead of the weekend action.

England flanker Tom Curry was sin-binned in the fifth minute, and Exeter back-rower Tom Hooper followed six minutes later, with both yellow cards a result of dangerous tackles.

Sale appeared to be in control after tries from full-back Luke James and winger Alex Willis, but Exeter came roaring back and were not to be denied.

Curry started his first Sale game of the season along with England team-mates Luke Cowan-Dickie, George Ford and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.

The quartet starred for Steve Borthwick’s side as they racked up wins against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina in the autumn internationals.

Exeter included England duo Slade and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, along with Wales’ Dafydd Jenkins, Italy’s Andrea Zambonin and Australia’s Hooper and Len Ikitau.

Sale made a bad start when Opoku-Fordjour took an early knock, but he was fit to continue after treatment before Exeter began to throw the ball about and put their hosts under pressure.

When Curry caught Hodge with his shoulder, referee Anthony Woodthorpe showed the England flanker a yellow card and Slade kicked the resulting penalty to put Exeter 3-0 ahead.

But Sale steadied themselves and began to enjoy some decent field position inside Exeter’s 22-metre line.

They levelled the scores with a penalty from Ford before the England fly-half kicked another three-pointer after Exeter flanker Hooper was sinbinned for a challenge on Jacques Vermeulen.

Slade’s second penalty made it 6-6 before Ford landed his third to restore Sale’s three-point advantage midway through the first half.

Ford then kicked his third penalty to make it 9-6 before James scored the only try of the first half, supporting an attack superbly before racing clear.

Ford converted and then added another three points to give Sale a 19-6 half-time lead.

Wills stretched Sale’s lead by finishing off clinically down the left flank in the 46th minute, with Ford converting, but Exeter came back strongly.

Yeandle crashed over from close range in the 55th minute, and Slade converted before Woodburn produced a superb diving finish in the left corner seven minutes later.

Slade converted, and after Sio touched down from close range in the 70th minute, the England centre again kicked the extras to complete the stunning turnaround.