Chiefs 50 Warriors 12

Exeter Chiefs 50

Worcester Warriors 12

Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

Ruthless in it’s extreme, Exeter Chiefs fired an ominous warning shot to their Aviva Premiership rivals as they edged ever closer to a first-ever appearance in the end of season play-offs.

Rob Baxter’s produced arguably their best display in weeks to run in eight tries against in-form Worcester Warriors at Sandy Park.

The free-scoring Thomas Waldrom extended his lead at the top of the division’s try pile with his second treble of the season, while winger Olly Woodburn added three of his own alongside further scores from James Short and Ollie Atkins.

Fly-half Gareth Steenson, also top of the division’s overall points-scoring charts, converted two of the scores, before Henry Slade weighed in with three of his own to complete the job.

Worcester, who enjoyed a brief cameo at the end of the first half, countered with tries from Cooper Vuna and Andy Symons, the latter converted by Tom Heathcote, but that was their scant reward from a torrid time in the Westcountry.

Having relinquished their lead at the top of the table to defending champions Saraces the week previous, Baxter made seven changes in personnel for the visit of the in-form Warriors. Behind, Phil Dollman, Jack Nowell and Will Chudley all returned, while up front there were starts for Ben Moon, Moray Low, Ollie Atkins and Don Armand.

The Warriors, meanwhile, arrived in Devon boasting a club record four-game winning streak in the Premiership, having seen off lowly London Irish just seven days earlier. They made three changes in personnel, bringing in former Cornish Pirate Sam Betty and prop James Johnston to their pack, while behind Andy Symons was a late switch for Ryan Mills at centre.

With personnel in place for both sides, it was the visitors who had first use of a howling wind from the West. Early pressure saw them set up camp deep inside the Chiefs 22, but their efforts came to nothing as the home side happily soaked up what the Midlanders had to throw at them.

Turning defence into attack, the returning Nowell picked up from where he left off with England’s Grand Slam heroes, bursting clear of the Worcester defence with one of his trademark charges through the middle. That in turn allowed quick ball for the Chiefs, who eventually cleared down field with a lengthy punt from Slade.

It was an encouraging start from Baxter’s side, who had to contend with losing full-back Dollman to an early injury. Pressing forward, they continued to cause problems for the Warriors, who on eight minutes did well to survive one particular raid from Irishman Ian Whitten.

The Chiefs, though, continued to press forward, winning a succession of scrum penalties just five minutes from the try-line. Referee Thomas Foley was growing increasingly frustrated with the tactics of the Warriors, warning skipper GJ Van Velze that anymore would have dire consequences.

Exeter sensed blood and duly preceded to go for the Worcester jugular, this time playing off the scrum through a succession of attacking waves. Replacement James Short instigated the initial raid, before the forwards took over with a simple pick-and-go game. Scotsman Low thought he was over for the opening try, only for it to chalked off on consultation with the TV match official Keith Lewis.

Undeterred, the Chiefs continued to press forward using a scrum penalty to position themselves for another offensive offering. The first two shoves were adjudged to have stood up - much to the fury of the home faithful - but the third did see a reaction from Foley, who having warned the visitors earlier dispatched Samoan international Johnston to the sidelines for ten minutes.

And it took less than a minute for the Chiefs to make their numerical advantage count, No.8 Waldrom driving over from close range for his 11th Premiership try of the season after England international Luke Cowan-Dickie had been thwarted just inches from the line.

The score was just reward for a sustained spell of pressure from the Chiefs, who on the restart quickly set up attack once more. Woodburn and Cowan-Dickie were particularly lively with two bursts through the heart of the Worcester midfield, before the ball was shipped at pace to the left where the waiting Short was able to squirm his way over in the corner for a second try, this time converted majestically from the touchline by Steenson.

And no sooner had the Sandy Park faithful gathered their seats following that score, they were back on their feet once more as the Chiefs added a third try. From the kick-off, the ball was fed to Nowell, whose electric feet saw him dance his way through the middle, before his clever kick in behind the Warriors defence fell invitingly into the arms of Woodburn, who did the rest with a simple finish to make it 17-0.

Clearly dazed by Exeter’s ferocious first half offering, Worcester - now back to full compliment - looked to counter before the break. Initially, the Chiefs did well to repel the threat, even winning turnover ball, but when Steenson was adjudged to have held on in the tackle just yards from his line, quick-thinking from South African Francois Hougaard saw him feed the ball to the left to Symons, who in turn fed Vuna to squeeze his way over in the left corner.

Worcester were clearly buoyed by Vuna’s score and with just over a minute of the first half remaining, they pounced for a second try when Symons latched onto a pass from Hougaard as he picked from the base of a scrum to bulldoze his way over the line. Heathcote slotted the extras to leave just five points in it at the turn.

HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 17 WORCESTER WARRIORS 12

The late rally from the Warriors had given them a glimmer of hope to take into the second period, but within a minute the Chiefs were back re-establishing their grip on proceedings, claiming the all-important bonus point at the same time.

From the kick-off, the home side lapped up possession through Chudley, whose sniping break got them to within touching distance of the line, before the home pack combined as one to propel Atkins over the whitewash for the try, which Steenson converted with aplomb.

Worse was to follow for the visitors as replacement hooker Jeba Bregvadze, who had only been on the pitch a matter of a minute, was sent back to the sidelines for ten minutes when he crudely tipped Waldrom above the horizontal when attempted to floor the Exeter forward.

Although the Chiefs failed to capitalise in quite the same manner as the first half, they were still comfortable in terms of their overall game plan. Happy to pin the Warriors back at every opportunity, it was not until midway through the half that Exeter finally made their pressure count.

Having won a penalty after former British Lions lock Donncha O’Callaghan had cynically hauled back Short as he looked to chase his kick in behind, the Chiefs used the resultant line-out to drive in field, where upon Waldrom - as he so often does - picked up from the base of a ruck, where aided by the sizeable frame of the returning Mitch Lees, he drove over for his second try of the contest.

Just a minute later and the Chiefs were collecting their sixth try, gift wrapped this time when Woodburn seized on turnover ball just inside the Worcester half to race in unopposed under the posts. Slade, who had taken on the kicking duties from the now departed Steenson, slotted the conversion to put Exeter in command at 36-12.

It was impressive stuff from Baxter’s troops, who in the first half had resembled a vintage, fine wine - but who in the second period had transformed their performance into some more sparkling.

And it was therefore fitting that the ‘Champagne Moment’ went the way of Waldrom, who was able to rumble over for his hat-trick score - converted by Slade - in the final ten minutes.

Job done and dusted, Worcester’s miserable afternoon showed no sign of abating as they lost a third player, flanker Carl Kirwan, to the sin-bin with just four minutes left when he hit Italian international Michele Campagnaro with a needless cheap shot off the ball.

Again the Chiefs made the numbers game pay dividends, setting up a late hat-trick score for Woodburn with just a few minutes remaining. It sealed a first-ever professional hat-trick for the former Bath flyer, who has clearly settled well to life in Devon’s capital city.

Premiership duties now take a break for the Chiefs, who will use this coming week to prepare themselves for a first-ever European Champions Cup quarter-final against league rivals Wasps.

And on this showing, who would bet against Baxter’s side repeating their feat off earlier in the season at the Ricoh Arena when they downed Dai Young’s side on their own turf.

Ladies and gentlemen, let battle commence!

Chiefs: P Dollman (J Short 5); J Nowell, H Slade, I Whitten, O Woodburn; G Steenson (capt, M Campagnaro 60), W Chudley (D Lewis 73); B Moon (A Hepburn 54), L Cowan-Dickie (J Yeandle 54), M Low (H Williams 54); O Atkins (Armand 66), D Welch (M Lees 51); D Armand (K Horstmann 60), J Salvi, T Waldrom.

Tries - Waldrom (3), Short, Woodburn (3), Atkins; Conversions - Steenson (2), Slade (3)

Warriors: C Pennell (L Baldwin 75); B Heem, W Olivier (A Grove 64), A Symons (A Grove 39-40), C Vuna; T Heathcote (R Lamb 54), F Hougaard; V Rapava Ruskin (N Lelimalefaga 60), N Annett (J Bregvadze 45), J Johnston (G Milasinovich 51); D O’Callaghan, D Barry (D Sanderson 67); C Kirwan, S Betty (G Milasinovich 18-28, Annett 47-56), GJ Van Velze (capt, M Cox 52).

Tries - Vuna, Symons; Conversion - Heathcote

Yellow Cards: Johnston, Bregvadze, Kirwan

Referee: T Foley

Attendance: 11,168