Match Report: Exeter Chiefs 35 – 12 Northampton Saints

Northampton Saints saw an opportunity to climb into the Gallagher Premiership’s top three go begging as they went down 35-12 at Exeter Chiefs.

The men in Black, Green and Gold trailed 21-0 at the break in wet and blustery conditions at Sandy Park, with Sam Simmonds, Olly Woodburn and Luke Cowan-Dickie all crossing the whitewash from close range for the clinical Chiefs.

And despite two tries from Fraser Dingwall and Matt Proctor in the second 40, it was not enough to reduce the deficit as the hosts also scored again through Cowan-Dickie and Henry Slade.

The result leaves Saints fifth in the league standings ahead of the European break over the next fortnight.

FIRST HALF

Chiefs won an early penalty in the third minute as Saints infringed at a lineout. The hosts kicked to the corner and the risk paid off, as Simmonds burrowed over from close range – and brother Joe added the extra points from the touchline.

Shortly after, Northampton went off their feet in front of their own posts and were penalised, with Exeter sending it into the corner again, but this time they did not get the same result as Alex Coles made a mess of the lineout and Alex Mitchell was able to clear.

But on 15 minutes, a spell of kick tennis was ended when Tommy Freeman got pinned on the edge of the 22, and after a turnover on the floor from the hosts, Woodburn dived over in the left corner. Again, Joe Simmonds’ conversion was inch perfect to make it 14-0.

A scrappy period of scrum resets and lineouts thrown askew from both sides followed, with both teams affected by the challenging conditions at Sandy Park, but Exeter scored their third try on the half-hour mark.

The TMO stepped in to rule out a Chiefs try for a knock-on in the build-up, but play came back for a tackle in the air by Dingwall on his opposite number, Solomone Kata.

The hosts sent the ball into the corner and the rolling maul – bolstered by 13 of the 15 Exeter players on the field – rumbled over with Cowan-Dickie coming up with the ball and Joe Simmonds again stroking the conversion through the uprights.

An opportunity went begging for Saints close to the interval after both Lewis Ludlam and James Ramm carried well upfield, but Simmonds got over the ball and Exeter cleared their lines to leave it 21-0 at half-time.

SECOND-HALF

The second 40 minutes began much the same for Saints, as a couple of penalties against them allowed Chiefs to send the ball into the corner, and Cowan-Dickie forced his way over again for his second.

Rory Hutchinson entered the action, with Proctor moving onto the wing, and Northampton next earned some territory before scoring their first try of the afternoon when Mitchell put some width on the ball for Dingwall to dive over.

George Furbank nailed the conversion and all of a sudden, Saints had the wind in their sails, and won a scrum penalty on the edge of the 22. The visitors went to the corner, but the lineout sailed long, and Exeter were able to clear.

That momentum swing got worse moments later, as a Mitchell pass was intercepted in midfield by Slade – leaving the Chiefs’ centre with a clear run to the line to extend the lead again.

Mitchell came close to scoring in the 63rd minute, as he hacked on downfield and burst past two Exeter players, but Josh Hodge got back to deny him by just beating the scrum-half to the ball in the in-goal area.

However, two minutes later, Saints opened up the hosts as Coles freed up his hands and released Proctor. The Kiwi centre’s brilliant line was capped by a fine finish under pressure from two defenders in the corner.

This time Furbank hit the post from out wide with the conversion, and the remainder of the contest was disjointed with Northampton having to reshuffle after losing Freeman, Emmanuel Iyogun and Dingwall to injuries.

Next up for Phil Dowson’s side is a trip to face Munster in the Heineken Champions Cup in a week’s time.

LINE-UPS

CHIEFS: Hodge, Nowell, Slade, Kata, Woodburn, J Simmonds, S Maunder; Sio, Cowan-Dickie (c), Williams, Jenkins, Dunne, Ewers, Tshiunza, S Simmonds.
Replacements: Yeandle, Kenny, Iosefa-Scott, van Heerden, Fisilau, J Maunder, Skinner, O’Loughlin.

SAINTS: Freeman, Ramm, Proctor, Dingwall, Skosan, Furbank, Mitchell; A Waller, Haywood, Hill, Coles, Moon, Salakaia-Loto, Scott-Young, Ludlam (c).
Replacements: R Smith, Iyogun, Petch, Wilkins, Graham, Braley, Hutchinson, Collins.