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Leicester too good for Exeter despite Jasper Wiese red card
A red card for departing back-rower Jasper Wiese was not enough to dampen the mood as Leicester secured a 40-22 victory over Exeter, who missed out on a place in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs.
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Sale’s victory at Saracens meant the outcome at Welford Road was academic, but this was nevertheless the ideal way for eighth-placed Leicester to end what has been a difficult campaign.
The only negative of the afternoon was Wiese’s dismissal in what was his final game for the Tigers, while results elsewhere meant Exeter dropped two places to seventh on the final day of the regular season.
Needing a win, Exeter had the start they wanted in the seventh minute when Dan John’s neat off-load, after being tackled by Ollie Hassell-Collins, put Olly Woodburn into space and he timed his pass to send Immanuel Feyi-Waboso clear down the right.
Henry Slade added the conversion from out wide before Handre Pollard’s penalty put Leicester on the board after Chiefs were pinged for offside in front of their posts.
The Tigers then went ahead after 21 minutes when Hassell-Collins raced in from halfway, albeit aided by a couple of flimsy tackles from Woodburn and Harvey Skinner.
A second try for the hosts should have arrived three minutes later when Mike Brown gathered Pollard’s cross-field kick and stepped inside, but Freddie Steward fumbled his pass.
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However, it was not long before Leicester did score again as Jack van Poortvliet’s footwork from the base of a ruck allowed him to evade two tacklers and go clear.
Exeter’s chances then suffered another blow when Woodburn was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Dan Kelly, with Pollard knocking over the resulting penalty.
Slade pulled back three points for the Chiefs to make it 20-10 just before half-time, but they had to start the second half without Feyi-Waboso after he saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on.
Within three minutes of the restart, Leicester had their third try when Kelly’s long pass put Hassell-Collins into space and the winger’s ball outside put Tommy Reffell in at the corner.
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Tigers captain Julian Montoya then slid into touch a metre from the line after breaking off a driving maul, but the bonus point was soon in the bag for the hosts.
Matt Scott was denied the honours as he was brilliantly tackled by Woodburn, but Brown was quickly on the scene to pick up and score.
With their play-off hopes disappearing, Exeter pulled a try back through Dan Frost before Wiese was sent off in the 68th minute for spearing Ross Vintcent at a breakdown.
Vintcent gained some retribution when some quick hands led to him scoring down the right, but two penalties from Premiership debutant Kieran Wilkinson finally ended Exeter’s hopes of a comeback.
Fun in the sun ??
Jack van Poortvliet helps @LeicesterTigers build their lead at Mattioli Woods Welford Road ?#GallagherPrem | #LEIvEXE pic.twitter.com/PdOCV72pUO
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) May 18, 2024
Great try by van Poortvliet.