Plenty left in the 'Tank'

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter thinks Thomas Waldrom's form at number eight is up there with the best in the country after he inspired a first Aviva Premiership win at Northampton Saints.

England international Waldrom moved to Sandy Park in the summer from Leicester Tigers and he is quickly proving to be a crucial signing after scoring two tries in a famous 24-18 win at Franklin's Gardens.

From the outset, the Chiefs were quickly into their stride as they caught the champions napping as hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie scored a try after 90 seconds.

Home fly-half Stephen Myler countered with two quick fire penalties, before Waldrom took centre stage claiming two converted tries before the break to put the Chiefs 21-6 up at the break.

Waldrom’s double took his try tally to six for the season and there are high hopes the all-action No.8 will continue to add to that over the coming weeks and months,

Although the Saints fought back strongly in the second half with tries from Tom Stephenson and Jamie Elliott, it was not enough to deny Baxter’s side who have moved to second in the Premiership standings.

Post-match, Baxter wasted little time in hailing the impact the 31-year-old forward has brought since his arrival from the Tigers.

He said: "Thomas has just proved what he is, which is a good player. We knew when we signed him he was still a good player and he still has plenty left in the tank.

"He showed exceptional pace from halfway to score the interception try and there isn't many better still from the back of the scrum than Tom when he charged over from five metres. That is what we brought him for, those technical abilities at the back of the scrum and he is proving his worth.

"What else we can't underestimate is that Tom has come here and won before with Leicester. We have not got that many people, until tonight, who have done that. I don't know where he is with England, but his form is up there with the best of anybody at the moment."