Chiefs 9 Tigers 12

Exeter Chiefs     9

Leicester Tigers     12

Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

What a difference a week can make.

Seven days previous, Toby Flood left Cardiff's Millennium Stadium licking his wounds as he and his fellow England colleagues saw their Six Nations dream end in tatters to a rampant Welsh side.

However, present day and the Leicester Tigers No.10 was back smiling again as his 12-point haul - courtesy of four penalties - helped the East Midlanders claim victory in a hard fought Aviva Premiership encounter at Exeter Chiefs.

Having exchanged three penalties with opposite number Gareth Steenson in the first period at Sandy Park, the 27-year-old landed a telling blow just ten minutes from time to keep Richard Cockerill's side firmly fixed in the top two of English rugby's premier competition.

Even then, Steenson - the star attraction in Exeter's previous outing at Harlequins - could have snatched a share of the spoils for the Devon club. However, his last-minute shot at the target fell agonisingly short of the sticks, much to the relief of the East Midlanders, who became only the second team this season to triumph at Sandy Park in the Premiership.

Buoyed by back-to-backs win over London Welsh and defending champions Harlequins in their previous two games, the Chiefs were dealt an untimely double blow ahead of kick-off as two of their key performers were ruled out for varying reasons. Fijian star Sireli Naqelevuki was chalked off after he failed a fitness test on his knee, while all-action James Scaysbrook was another absentee after his wife Louise went into labour hours earlier with the birth of their second daughter.

Naqelevuki's void in the midfield meant Kiwi centre Jason Shoemark was drafted in to partner another new dad, Phil Dollman, whilst Dave Ewers (pictured) was elevated from the bench as he was handed his first-ever top flight start in the back-row.

Leicester, meanwhile, were boosted by the return of all their star names from the Six Nations, including skipper Flood; the Youngs brothers, Tom and Ben; Geoff Parling, Tom Croft, Dan Cole, Manu Tuilagi, as well as experienced Italian prop Martin Castrogiovanni on the bench.

As expected, the game proved a tight, arm-wrestle from the outset. Testing conditions, both underfoot and overhead, meant it was always going to be attritional and it was the Chiefs - with the wind at their backs in the first period - who made the initial breakthrough when Steenson punted his side front with a lengthy penalty after the Tigers had strayed offside deep inside their own half.

That lead would proved shortlived, however, as within minutes the visitors drew level with a kick of their own as Flood dissected the posts with a kick after Ewers was pulled up for offside.

Playmakers Flood and Steenson exchanged successful kicks at either end, before the former nudged his side back in front on the half-hour mark after Chiefs winger Matt Jess was the latest to fall foul of referee Tim Wigglesworth.

It was attritional warfare from both camps, but having survived a close-range raid from Tigers flanker Tom Croft, the Chiefs drew level on the stroke of half time when Steenson landed a third penalty with aplomb.

HALF TIME    EXETER CHIEFS 9        LEICESTER TIGERS 9

Having lost Dollman just before the break to injury, the Chiefs - with Ian Whitten now added to the mix - started the second half brightly. Early endeavour saw them launch a series of raids in behind enemy lines, but on each occasion some smart defending from the visitors thwarted their advances.

With the battle for territory key to both sides hopes, Exeter continued their adventurous outlook in attack. Chances continued to be created, one of which brought about a penalty opening for the home side.

However, they declined the chance to kick at goal, opting instead for a quick tap penalty that saw Haydn Thomas scamper clear before releasing Richard Baxter. As the long-serving Chiefs No.8 tore down field, hopes were high that the move would prove fruitful. Sadly, it was not to be as Baxter was engulfed by a plethora of Leicester defenders.

The Tigers made the most of the left-off as they slowly started to implement their own strategical game plan on their rivals. Ben Youngs, Flood and Mathew Tait regularly looked for territory with hefty boots out of defence, whilst up front Croft and the hard-working Ed Slater continued to make good yardage with some hard running through the middle.

Both sides looked to the sidelines for fresh ideas, as well as fresh muscle, but still there was to be no give from either team. As the second half minutes ticked by, the cancelling out of rival threats remained as strong as ever.

But all that changed with ten minutes remaining as Leicester - nine-time champions of the Premiership - made their experience tell at just the right time.

Long-haired replacement Logovil’i Mulipola was the catalyst for their crucial strike, the Samoan prop making the initial charge that created a ruck just outside the home 22. With seemingly little danger, Exeter replacement scrum-half Will Chudley tried to force his way through the middle to nab the ball. However, referee Wigglesworth was clearly unimpressed, singling out the replacement nine as the guilty culprit.

Chudley's indiscretion was telling as it allowed Flood not only his first shot at goal in the second period, but a straight-forward effort in front of the posts that he wasn't going to miss.

Up by three points, the Tigers held a slender lead entering into the final throws of a gripping contest. However, the Chiefs were far from finished and with just over a minute remaining, a great scrum from the home pack saw Castrogiovanni drop to his knee and Wigglesworth award the Chiefs a penalty just inside their opponents half.

As a hush fell upon Sandy Park, the clock ticked to zero for the final time and Steenson weighed up the target before dispatching his kick at goal. As it propelled towards the posts, fans in the North Terrace began to celebrate - that was until the ball dipped alarmingly at the death and fell gracefully into the arms of a waiting Leicester player.

That, sadly, was as close as it could have been for the Chiefs, who must now ready themselves for next week's away-day at old rivals Worcester.

Exeter Chiefs: L Arscott; J Nowell, P Dollman (I Whitten 38), J Shoemark, M Jess; G Steenson, H Thomas (W Chudley 55); C Rimmer (B Sturgess 65), J Yeandle (C Whitehead 65), H Tui (C Mitchell 72); D Mumm (J Hanks 65), D Welch; D Ewers, B White (K Horstmann 55), R Baxter (capt). Replacement (not used): H Slade.

Penalties – Steenson (4)

Leicester Tigers: M Tait; N Morris, M Tuilagi, A Allen, A Thompstone; T Flood (capt), B Youngs; M Ayerza (L Mulipola 65), T Youngs, D Cole (M Castrogiovanni 55); E Slater, G Parling; T Croft, J Salvi, J Crane. Replacements (not used): R Hawkins, T Waldrom, G Kitchener, S Harrison, G Ford, M Smith.

Penalties – Flood (3)

Referee: T Wigglesworth

Touch Judges: G Copsey & P Burton

4th Official: A Small

Attendance: 10,427

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Worcester Warriors (A), Aviva Premiership, Saturday, March 30 (3pm)