Tigers 25 Chiefs 18

Leicester Tigers 25

Exeter Chiefs 18

Mark Stevens at Welford Road

Just how important this losing bonus point might be we won’t know for a few weeks yet, but the fact Exeter Chiefs salvaged something from a tough afternoon in the East Midlands could be quite telling in the grand scheme of things.

With time all but up, it appeared Rob Baxter’s side were going to head home from their latest trek to the East Midlands with little more than a muddy shirt and a heap of ‘if only’s’ to contemplate.

Thankfully, the Chiefs never know when they are beaten and in one last hurrah - or should I say - one last push of defiance, they won a successful penalty that brought them back to within the crucial seven-point range.

Fly-half Henry Slade, who had a mixed day with the boot, slotted that kick and another penalty, as well as converting one of Exeter’s two tries on the day through Thomas Waldrom and Will Chudley.

However, it was not enough to thwart the Tigers, who landed a telling second half try from Exeter-bound England star Geoff Parling and 17 points from the boot of fly-half Freddie Burns.

Back in Premiership action for the first time in a fortnight, Baxter wasted little time in recalling the majority of his frontline stars, many of whom had sat out the recent LV= Cup block of fixtures, including last week’s final against Saracens.

Initially just two remained in harness from the week previous - Carl Rimmer and Mitch Lees - but that was increased by one just prior to kick-off when tight-head Tomas Francis was ruled out by a sickness bug, so Alex Brown was promoted to the No.3 shirt with Scottish international Moray Low drafted onto the bench.

Also included in the visiting ranks was Waldrom, the league’s top try-scorer, who was making his first return back to his former club

Meanwhile, the Tigers - who were undone 30-22 by the Chiefs two weeks earlier in the LV= Cup semi-final - were also able to parade a powerful arsenal of talent, boosted in the main by their returning English contingent of the Youngs brothers - Tom and Ben - Dan Cole and Geoff Parling, who next season will be pulling on an Exeter jersey.

With the wind at their backs in the opening period, it was an encouraging start from the visitors who were afforded their first scoring chance on four minutes when home flanker Jamie Gibson was adjudged to have strayed offside at a ruck.

Some 58 metres from goal, fly-half Slade opted for the long-range shot at the target, but although his kick had the distance, the direction was somewhat wayward as he floated wide of the left post.

Minutes later and Slade was afforded another opportunity to break the duck with a second penalty - given after he had been hit late by Tigers centre Seremaia Bai - but again his effort was wide of the mark.

At the other end, Burns showed how it should be done at the first attempt as he slotted Leicester in front with a simple effort after Exeter scrum-half Chudley was pulled up for infringing at a ruck deep inside his own 22.

Almost immediately the Chiefs hit back, Ian Whitten stealing the restart from the under the noses of a clutch of home defenders and although he linked well with Jack Nowell, the chance came and went, as did a well-drilled line-out move after the Tigers had infringed again wide on the left touchline.

For all of Exeter’s brave attacking intent, it was the Tigers who were making the most of their opportunities, Burns doubling their lead with a second penalty on 18 minutes.

The Chiefs were undeterred by the setbacks and continued to offer the greater attacking threat. Using their pack to punch the initial holes, it was then left to the silky backs to try and work their magic. Although the Tigers did well to repel the waves, eventually Gibson again infringed and this Slade made no mistake with a crafted long-range penalty from just inside his own half.

It was just what the Chiefs craved and for a sustained period heading towards half-time, the men from Devon had the hammer down in attack as they laid siege on the home line with a stream of attacking waves. The Tigers, though, manfully dealt with the threat, producing a defensive wall that Baxter’s side were struggling to break down.

In the end, the opportunity was lost and in a rare foray back into Exeter’s half, Burns slotted a third successful penalty when prop Carl Rimmer was deemed not to have rolled away from the tackle area.

With the half all but up, the two Youngs brothers threatened to cause more mayhem with a razor-sharp move off a well-rehearsed line-out move, before England international Burns slotted a fourth penalty as the Chiefs again fell foul of referee J-P Doyle for a back foot offence.

HALF TIME LEICESTER TIGERS 12 EXETER CHIEFS 3

Exeter’s indiscipline had certainly been their downfall during the opening 40 minutes and it didn’t improve on the resumption as the Chiefs again coughed up another cheap penalty just two minutes into the second half. Again, Burns had the target in his sights and again the Leicester marksman didn’t disappoint, plundering an effort from midway inside the visiting half.

Now 12 points adrift, the Chiefs needed a response of sorts. Again they pushed hard in attack, but handling errors caused issues as twice they threatened and twice they emerged from the Tigers 22 without any reward.

Baxter tinkered with his line-up throwing on fresh muscle in the form of Messrs Moon, White and James and the fresh stock appeared to help do the trick as the Chiefs claimed the game’s opening try on 51 minutes.

A clever clearance from Matt Jess pinned the Tigers deep into their 22 and when the home side turned the ball just seconds later, the Chiefs used the resultant scrum as the perfect platform form which to attack. Initially, Waldrom picked up from the base of the scrum; Ewers trucked in on a little closer to the line, before Waldrom regathered the ball once again before driving over for the score, which surprisingly Slade failed to convert as he slammed his kick again the near post.

Just as the Chiefs had done earlier in the half, it was now Leicester who looked to unload their bench. Internationals Logovi’i Mulipola and Leonardo Ghiraldini were added up front, whilst behind the lethal Vereniki Goneva was also added and the Fijian star came within a whisker of extending Leicester’s lead only to be thwarted by an excellent cover tackle from Nowell in the left-hand corner.

Minutes later and the Tigers came again, pouncing this time on a wayward Exeter line-out just five metres from their own line. England prop Cole claimed the ball and although he was propelled towards the line by an army of Leicester team-mates, referee Doyle adjudged the experienced tight-head to have been held up on the line.

From the resultant scrum, though, the Tigers made it pay as after a succession of resets, the hosts cleverly worked the ball down the blindside for Parling to sneak over in the corner. Burns duly obliged with the extras from wide on the left to make it 22-8.

Again, a rapid response was needed from the Westcountry outfit and it duly arrived when, with nine minutes remaining, the Chiefs turned the Tigers deep inside their own half, Chudley released Slade, whose sublime step back inside created the space for him to charge towards the line. Although Mathew Tait was back to thwart the Exeter playmaker, Chudley was on hand to collect the offload and skip over under the posts for the converted score.

But no sooner had the Chiefs given themselves a lifeline back into the contest, yet another soft penalty allowed Burns to land another telling blow from wide on the right touchline.

Worse could have followed just moments later when Exeter skipper Dean Mumm deliberately knocked on from a line-out near halfway, but this time replacement Tommy Bell could not deliver, striking his lengthy punt wide of the left post

The Chiefs were far from done and with 30 seconds left they looked to salvage something from their afternoon. Lewis sniped from a scrum, he combined with Slade, but was then unable to hold onto the return pass with the line in sight.

Even then there was still time for some late drama as a massive scrum from the Chiefs right in front of the Leicester posts saw Exeter duly awarded a penalty after the home pack buckled under the pressure. Slade made the most of the late opportunity, drilling the ball between the posts to ensure at least a losing bonus point for Baxter’s men.

Tigers: M Tait; A Thompstone, M Smith (T Bell 71), S Bai, M Benjamin (V Goneva 37); F Burns, B Youngs (capt, S Harrison 65); M Ayerza (L Mulipola 59), T Youngs (L Ghiraldini 60), D Cole (F Balmain 71); S De Chaves, G Parling; J Gibson, J Salvi, J Crane (L Pearce 75). Replacement (not used): J Whetton.

Try - Parling; Conversion - Burns; Penalties - Burns (5)

Chiefs: P Dollman (T James 49); I Whitten, J Nowell, S Hill, M Jess; H Slade, W Chudley (D Lewis 71); C Rimmer (B Moon 49), J Yeandle (E Taione 68), A Brown (M Low 62); M Lees (B White 26-34, 49), D Welch; D Ewers (K Horstmann 68), D Mumm (capt), T Waldrom. Replacement (not used): G Steenson.

Tries - Waldrom, Chudley; Conversion - Slade; Penalties - Slade (2)

Referee: J-P Doyle

Attendance: 24,000

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Newcastle Falcons (H), European Challenge Cup, Saturday, April 4 (8pm)