Saints 8 Chiefs 3

Northampton Saints 8

Exeter Chiefs 3

Mark Stevens at Franklin’s Gardens

If 2015 produced some sparkling rugby from the Exeter Chiefs, then the New Year began with little fizz for Rob Baxter’s side as they slipped to defeat at Franklin’s Gardens.

Mike Haywood’s first half try, plus a penalty from Northampton fly-half JJ Hanrahan, proved sufficient enough reward for the Saints to see off Devon’s finest.

In a contest which failed to live up to all the pre-match hype, the scant consolation for the travelling Tribe on a miserable afternoon was that their side were able to at least grab a losing bonus point.

Gareth Steenson’s late penalty did at least give the Chiefs a crumb of comfort for their efforts, but this was a display that will quickly be confined to the history books.

Having signed off the past 12 months with a hard fought victory over Sale Sharks at Sandy Park, Baxter made three changes to his starting XV for this latest trip to the East Midlands.

Up front, England international Tom Johnson came in for his first Premiership start of the season in place of Julian Salvi, while behind Michele Campagnaro and Olly Woodburn were also included in place of Sam Hill and James Short.

The Saints, meanwhile, rang the changes following their shock loss at previously winless London Irish last time out.

Experienced South African lock Victor Matfield was one of four additions to the home pack, joining Haywood, Alex Waller and Sam Dickinson, while Hanrahan was given the nod at fly-half and Tom Collins started on the right wind.

With a record Franklin’s Gardens of over 15,000 packed in, the opening exchanges were largely restricted to a turgid arm wrestle between the respective packs, neither of whom were willing to give an inch in their quest to hold the upper hand.

It was, however, the Saints who offered the game’s first meaningful threat, Hanrahan’s clever grubber kick in behind the Exeter back division just eluding Collins, who knocked on with the try-line in sight.

Moments later and Northampton threatened again, this time winning a penalty midway inside the Chiefs half. However, Saints scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i tried to catch Baxter’s side napping in defence with a quick tap instead of allowing Hanrahan a crack at the target.

With hindsight, the Samoan’s forward-thinking was probably not the best idea as the Chiefs quickly swallowed him up, before turning over the ball cleverly to clear their lines.

Unlike previous weeks where the Chiefs had been widely demonstrating their attacking prowess, sadly it was missing during this first period in which a catalogue of unforced errors and poor decision-making was proving their downfall.

Northampton continued to offer the greater threat and having won a penalty, which they duly kicked to the right corner, the home pack assembled as one to propel hooker Haywood over the line for the opening try, which Hanrahan was unable to convert.

In a rare foray forward, the Chiefs finally got the chance to work the ball through a handful of phases, but when Jack Nowell looked to pick his way through the home defence, he was penalised for holding on following excellent work from home openside Teimana Harrison.

As half-time approached, the Saints extended their lead to eight points when referee JP Doyle spotted Ian Whitten had encroached following Will Chudley’s box kick out of defence - and that in turn gifted Hanrahan a straight forward penalty that he dispatched from deep inside the Exeter 22.

The Chiefs huffed and puffed again before the break, but they could not make any impact onto the scoreboard. It meant for the first time in 30 games, Baxter’s side had failed to score in the first half.

HALF TIME NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 8 EXETER CHIEFS 0

On the resumption, the Chiefs were lucky not to fall further behind when in the very first minute Thomas Waldrom coughed up a soft penalty just inside his own half. It allowed Irishman Hanrahan the chance to go for goal, but thankfully he shanked his effort wide of the right post.

At the other end, the Chiefs themselves declined the chance to kick for goal when Campagnaro was upended by a high tackle. Instead, they went for the tried-and-trusted line-out drive which, although it was driven in field by a strong Waldrom carry, could not be capitalised upon as the visitors were turned over just yards from the home line.

If that was close, Exeter went even closer shortly after as excellent work from Chudley and Don Armand helped to turn over the Saints on their own scrum, creating the platform from which to attack again.

Once more the Devonians worked their way through a catalogue of pick-and-go drives, but just as it looked as though they were set to strike, another telling knock-on felled their good work and the chance was lost.

The signs were there, however, that a few strong words from Baxter during the break were now having the desired effect. Unlike the first 40 minutes where the Chiefs struggled to get a grip on proceedings, now they were at least showing a modicum of attacking threat.

In a bid to inject some life into his side, Baxter switched his whole front-row, as well as adding Short just before the hour mark. However, similar struggles continued as the conditions overhead worsened by the minute.

As replacements aplenty entered from the sidelines, so the contest became fragmented with neither side really willing to take a stranglehold on things. Crucially, the scoreboard remained untouched as the game headed towards it’s dying embers.

That was until six minutes from time when, following a sustained spell of pressure from the Chiefs, they won themselves a penalty after England international Dylan Hartley infringed at a ruck. It allowed Steenson his first shot at goal and the master Exeter marksmen did not disappoint, slotting a sublime penalty to put his side within five points.

Still with five minutes to play, the Chiefs rallied once more to try and summon up something to rescue their afternoon. However, it was not to be and it was the Saints who marched away with the victory.

For the Chiefs, the inquest will be short and sharp, after which sole attentions will switch to next week’s visit of rivals Gloucester to the Westcountry.

Saints: B Foden (capt); T Collins, G Pisi, L Burrell, G North; JJ Hanrahan, K Fotuali’i (L Dickson 24); A Waller (E Waller 66), M Haywood (D Hartley 52), P Hill; C Lawes, V Matfield (C Day 10-16, 25); J Gibson, T Harrison (M Paterson 52), S Dickinson. Replacements (not used): G Denman, S Myler, H Mallinder.

Try - Haywood; Penalty - Hanrahan

Chiefs: P Dollman (W Hooley 60-65); J Nowell, M Campagnaro (J Short 56), I Whitten, O Woodburn; G Steenson, W Chudley; B Moon (C Rimmer 56, J Yeandle (capt, E Taione 56), T Francis (M Low 56); M Lees (O Atkins 25), G Parling; D Armand, T Johnson (B White 63), T Waldrom. Replacement (not used): D Lewis.

Penalty - Steenson

Referee: JP Doyle

Attendance: 15,430