Our defence was key, says Slade

 

By Mark Stevens

Henry Slade insists it was the defensive display of the Exeter Chiefs that proved pivotal in their 40-6 victory over Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership.

In another solid showing from Rob Baxter's side, the Chiefs produced a rock solid first half display to keep the Midlanders at bay, before then turning on the style after the break to claim their fourth league win of the season.

Up against a howling wind in the opening period, the Chiefs defied the conditions to lead 14-6 at the turn courtesy of converted tries from Ben White and skipper Dean Mumm.

Worcester, who replied with two penalties from former Exeter star Ignacio Mieres, did their best to find a way through the home defence, but the Chiefs were in no mood to surrender any kind of soft scores.

Further tries after the break from White, Damian Welch, Phil Dollman and Haydn Thomas sealed the Devon club's first bonus point win of the season in the Premiership, but Slade says it was the work carried out in the first 40 minutes which proved so significant.

"It was an awesome result for the boys," said Slade afterwards. "We had to dig deep in the first half against the wind. To be two tries up, 14-6 at half-time, was excellent and we did well in defence to keep them out during the first half.

"Looking back it probably took 50 or 60 minutes, but we ended up breaking them down in the last quarter of the match. It was certainly tough, you could see how pinned in we were in the first half, but we took our knowledge from that in the first half and just played in the right areas.

"We knew how hard it was going to be for them to get out and we pretty much did to them what they did to us, but we managed to finish it off with a few tries."

With the Warriors yet to taste victory in the top flight this season, the Chiefs ably avoided the potential banana skin on offer with another impressive showing.

Slade added: "The defence was massive for the boys, there were big shots going in all over the place. It showed because we kept them scoreless and that was a big effort from the boys.

"Obviously, Worcester haven’t won yet but they are going to win at some point in the season. We just wanted to make sure it wasn’t against us this week at home. We approached the game as if we were playing a top-four side and we really went after them."

Like many at Sandy Park, Slade is delighted with the current form of the Chiefs and this latest success underlines the growing confidence within the squad.

"I think we’re learning from each week at the moment, taking the positives from the week before and adding to them as we go along. It is awesome to be a part of it and we’re doing pretty well at the moment, so everyone’s pretty happy," said Slade, who was one of five Exeter players to help England Under-20s lift the Junior World Championship for the first time in the summer.

"The England Under-20s’ success was a massive experience for all the boys involved and it just shows, if we can get some game time, how well we can perform. The basic element from all the boys is the work rate. Throughout the whole club, everyone just works so hard and when you have 23 players in the squad working that hard for each other, the results come.

"For me it is nice to be getting on and getting some more game time every week now. I want to keep pushing on and it is bringing my game on no end. Hopefully, that can continue."

Next up for the Chiefs in the Premiership is Friday's trip to Sale Sharks, a venue where the Chiefs came unstuck for the first time in the corresponding fixture last season.

"I think Sale was one of the games we were a bit disappointed with last season, in terms of the performance and the result," said Slade. "This win we have just had counts for nothing if we then lose up there next week. We have to back it up with a massive performance away from home.

"We know they have threats all over the line. They have been going well so far this year and have beaten a lot of teams. We have to go into that game with the same sort of attitude. Again it will be another massive effort in defence and then we have to do what we do in attack."