Chiefs 31 Saints 30
Exeter Chiefs 31
Northampton Saints 30
Mark Stevens at Sandy Park
It was like a Rocky movie, the two prized fighters battled it out until the death, after which the hero rose from the deck in the final round to claim a famous victory.
In this case, it was reigning Aviva Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs who hauled themselves off the deck to claim a first league win of 2018.
With time up on the clock, a converted Thomas Waldrom try floored visiting Northampton Saints, who came within a whisker of inflicting a fourth successive top-flight loss on Rob Baxter’s side.
Instead, the Chiefs are back on top of the table and still on course to seal themselves a home semi-final in the end of season play-offs.
Again, though, Devon’s finest were not at their bristling best. For an hour at least they failed to show the same fluidity that has been evident for much of the current campaign. The final ten minutes, however, was more of what we come to expect from the ‘Men in Black’.
Down by 13 points, Don Armand kick-started the fightback when he side-stepped his way under the posts, before the free-scoring Waldrom rumbled over with the final play of a nail-biting contest.
Earlier, a penalty try and a touchdown from Alec Hepburn were the only other highlights in an Exeter showing, which looked nervy and edgy for long periods.
The Saints, meanwhile, were a much-improved outfit from that which had tackled the champions at Franklin’s Gardens back in December. They claimed tries through Rob Horne, Ben Foden and Harry Mallinder, while Piers Francis and Stephen Myler shared the kicking duties.
After three successive league defeats, Baxter’s side were desperate to put an end to their dismal run of results against a Saints outfit, who they had already beaten twice this season in various competitions.
Ahead of kick-off, the Chiefs made four changes to their starting line-up from that which had been beaten at Wasps last time out. Into the pack came Greg Holmes, Sam Skinner and Waldrom, while behind Ian Whitten was preferred to Argentinian winger Santiago Cordero on the right wing.
Saints, fresh from a home win against London Irish the week previous, arrived in the Westcountry having made two changes in personnel. Mallinder returned at full-back having been released from life in the England camp, while Michael Paterson was a late switch in the second-row with David Ribbans having pulled out prior to kick-off after he failed a late fitness test.
The early skirmishes were largely uneventful as the battle for possession and territory were restricted to more of a slug-fest upfront. The Chiefs looked the more enterprising in attack, but far too often they were guilty of either over complicating matters – or simply not hanging onto the ball long enough to cause any significant damage.
Northampton happily soaked up the pressure and with their own first meaningful attack of the game, they scythed open the home side as they cleverly exploited space down the blindside, before slick interplay inside released Horne to dash over for the opening try, which was converted by England international Francis.
The Chiefs looked to counter almost immediately as Lachie Turner broke clear of the visiting defence at speed. However, as he looked to offload to the onrushing Luke Cowan-Dickie, the Exeter hooker couldn’t gather the ball and the chance was lost.
Undeterred, the hosts continued to push forward and when they were afforded an opportunity with a five-metre line-out, the home pack combined as one to propel themselves towards the line. Teimana Harrison illegally halted the first thrust, after which team-mate Campese Ma’afu tried the same.
Sadly for the visitors, Ma’afu’s indiscretion not only saw him banished to the sin-bin for ten minutes, but the Chiefs were awarded a penalty try by referee Christophe Ridley.
Exeter looked to make the most of the man advantage and as they had the attacking hammer down, further chances came and went. The best of which saw Waldrom, Whitten, Will Chudley and Ollie Devoto all involved in the build-up that saw Cowan-Dickie held up under the posts.
Denied the score, Cowan-Dickie was then the culprit for a high tackle that allowed Myler – on as a replacement for Francis – to kick the visitors back in front with a lengthy penalty.
As half-time approached, however, it was the Chiefs who were again on the offensive. Strong carries from Jonny Hill and the industrious Cowan-Dickie got the hosts to within sight of the line, after which Hepburn collected the pop pass to bulldoze his way over for the score, which Gareth Steenson converted.
In front for the first time, Exeter’s lead would prove short-lived as right on the stroke of half time, the Saints stung their rivals with another clever counter attack involving Luther Burrell and Horne saw Foden dive over in the left corner. Francis again converted with a sublime kick from the touchline.
HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 14 NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 17
Behind at the break, the Chiefs were hoping the half time pep talk and the chance to regather their thoughts would prove beneficial on the resumption. Northampton, on the other hand, had other ideas and within three minutes of the restart they were extending their lead.
Attacking from midway inside their own half, all appeared fine and dandy for the Chiefs until some slick play in the Northampton midfield between Francis and Horne saw them slice open the home defence before Mallinder was released at pace to canter in under the posts for a third converted score.
As the native grew somewhat restless, so the Saints lived off the pressure that was being put on the Chiefs. Julian Salvi threatened with a raid off a five-metre line-out, but as he looked for support, the cavalry was slowing in arriving and he was pulled up for holding on just metres out.
A successful Steenson penalty hauled the home side back to within a converted score only for the Chiefs to cough up a penalty of their own, straight from the restart, that Francis duly banged over with relative ease.
Two more penalties from the laser-guided boot of Francis pushed the visitors 13 points clear heading towards the hour mark in the match.
Baxter had seen enough and he sought new impetus from his bench, sending on fresh muscle for one final throw of the dice. Academy youngsters Marcus Street, Stu Townsend and Simmonds were added to the fray, as were Mitch Lees, Matt Kvesic and Phil Dollman.
Sensing they had to strike quickly, the Chiefs positioned themselves nicely within the Saints 22 with a huge driving maul that got them to within five metres. As the volume levels went up a notch or two, so the home side started to feed off the noise.
Northampton did well to repel several thrusts, before the home side threatened once again. Woodburn – in off his normal right wing position – collected in midfield, beat two defenders before creating the opening for Dollman. The Welshman pushed forward on the burst, drew the cover before feeding Armand some 15 metres out. Still with plenty to do, the rangy back-row forward backed himself completely, even side-stepping the advances of Northampton’s final defender to score under the posts
Sandy Park duly erupted to a wall of noise.
Still behind, the ‘Tomahawk Chop’ started to reverberate from all four corners. The Chiefs, though, had the bit between their teeth entering into the final minutes of the match. Northampton, as you would expect, did their best to take the sting out of Exeter’s play at every opportunity. That tactic, it has to be said, appeared to be working, must to the frustration of most people inside the stadium.
Champions, however, never know when they are beaten and in a defiant last stand, Baxter’s side threw caution to the wind. Having gleaned a penalty, Simmonds’ kick for the corner went a little awry, that was until Mallinder somehow touched it dead, gifting the hosts a five-metre scrum.
The set-piece that followed gleaned another penalty, which this time the Chiefs kicked into the corner for a line-out. Cowan-Dickie duly found his man and as the shove for the line was applied, Harrison crudely came in from the side to bring it all to halt.
The officials had seen the actions of the Northampton No.8, but they were unconvinced it would have left to a definite try. Although Harrison was yellow carded for his actions, the Chiefs had to go through the set-piece move once again.
Cowan-Dickie again found his man, the shove was applied, before the ball eventually went wide to the home backs. They trundled it up initially, after which the forwards took control. A series of attacking waves got the Chiefs to within a sniff of the line, where – not for the first time in his Exeter career – Waldrom took control, barging his way over for the bonus point score.
Even then, Simmonds still had to fire over the conversion. However, the young playmaker made no mistake, drilling his kick between the sticks to seal a hard-fought, yet priceless five points for the Devonians.
Chiefs: L Turner; I Whitten, O Devoto (P Dollman 50), S Hill, O Woodburn; G Steenson (J Simmonds 54), W Chudley (S Townsend 2-15, 68); A Hepburn (B Moon 50), L Cowan-Dickie, G Holmes (M Street 68); S Skinner (M Lees 57), J Hill; D Armand, J Salvi (M Kvesic 61), T Waldrom. Replacment (not used): J Innard.
Tries - Penalty Try, Hepburn, Armand, Waldrom; Conversions - Steenson, Penalty Try, J Simmonds (2); Penalty - Steenson
Saints: H Mallinder; A Tuala, R Horne, L Burrell, B Foden (N Tuitavake 51); P Francis (S Myler 21-32), N Groom (C Reinach 72); C Ma’afu (F Van Wyk 65), M Haywood (R Marshall 80), K Brookes (J Ford-Robinson 65); M Paterson, C Day (capt); J Gibson (T Wood 61), H Brussow (F Van Wyk 19-26), T Harrison. Replacement (not used): A Moon
Tries - Horne, Foden, Mallinder; Conversions - Francis (3); Penalties - Myler, Francis (2)
Yellow Cards: Ma’afu, Harrison
Referee: C Ridley
Attendance: 11,466