It's business as usual for Premiership leaders Exeter as Borthwick's first Leicester outing ends in defeat
Exeter Chiefs extended their lead at the top of the Gallagher Premiership with a 26-13 bonus-point victory over Leicester Tigers witnessed by England head coach Eddie Jones. Jones would no doubt have been impressed by several of his players as Exeter declared business as usual and eleventh-placed Leicester showed signs of fresh life under new coach Steve Borthwick.
This was Exeter’s first game since the club decided to keep their controversial Chiefs branding following a board review amid claims that it was racist.
Club mascot ‘Big Chief’ was missing along with the Sandy Park fans – absent because of the coronavirus pandemic – after Exeter’s decision to retire him in the wake of those internal discussions. But the Chiefs’ ‘Tomahawk Chop’ celebration remained to greet the home side’s four tries.
Exeter had been in impressive form when their season was put on pause 161 days earlier, scoring over 50 points in their previous two home games and establishing a five-point lead at the top of the Premiership.
Closest challengers Sale’s defeat at Harlequins on Friday had also come as a boost, but Leicester were hungry visitors as their season of discontent resumed under Borthwick. Scotland centre Matt Scott and on-loan wing David Williams made debuts in the starting XV and Zack Henry joined Luke Wallace among new faces on the bench. Club captain Tom Youngs stepped out for his 150th start.
"One side to the other, and they have skinned a Tiger!" @andNickMullins ??
? What an unbelievable try that is from @ExeterChiefs and Stuart Hogg ?#RugbyRestart pic.twitter.com/rD2DmaHudl
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) August 15, 2020
Scotland lock Jonny Gray was the notable newcomer for hosts who were without England wing Jack Nowell. George Ford kicked off for the Tigers after a minute’s silence for those NHS workers who had died in the Devon area during the lockdown and after players from both sides opted to take a knee in a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Tigers drew first blood in the eleventh minute through Ford’s 45-metre penalty. Their line speed in defence their tenacity at the breakdown initially thwarted the Chiefs whenever they had the ball.
Exeter looked the rustier of the two teams and Ford extended the visitors’ lead with a superb drop goal from 25 metres as Gray closed him down. Leicester had looked anything like a team one place off the bottom of the table, but their goal line came under increasing pressure as the half wore on.
Exeter were rewarded when flanker Dave Ewers sneaked over in the corner and a 12-6 lead was theirs right on half-time. The Tigers were split open by a well-worked back move and Olly Woodburn fed Stuart Hogg, who sprinted clear for a try which Joe Simmonds superbly converted from the touchline.
The writing was on the wall for the Tigers and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie scored within two minutes of the restart and Simmonds converted. Further forward power brought a penalty try, a bonus point and a 26-6 lead, with Leicester losing No8 Jordan Taufua to the sin bin.
But the numbers were even again when second row Jonny Hill was yellow carded as a Leicester penalty try to cut the gap to 13 points. Leicester refused to lie down in the final quarter but they lacked the necessary composure to again breach a resilient Chiefs defence.
This wasn't the sort of Gloucester return Jonny May was expecting https://t.co/GUwhaMupbW
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 15, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Yet, according to Jake White and other twonks who think better, Jenkins shouldn’t be picked by the boks. Daft.
3 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments