Tigers 62 Chiefs 19
Leicester Tigers 62
Exeter Chiefs 19
Mark Stevens at Welford Road
He’s been the scourge of opposition defenders for years, there will be plenty who will be happy when the Gallagher Premiership’s prized poacher, Chris Ashton finally calls it a day at the end of the season.
Among those heading the list will be the Exeter Chiefs, whose play-off hopes for the current campaign were all but extinguished by the former England international whose try treble took him to a record-breaking 101 top-flight tries.
Ashton, as you would expect, grabbed the man-of-the-match accolade come the final whistle, but there were plenty within the home ranks who could equally have lay claim to the prize, such was the dominance of the defending champions come the end.
Yes, the Tigers were impressive on the day, but the Chiefs were also architects of their own downfall. A harsh second half red card for winger Olly Woodburn did little to help their cause, nor did a porous defence that leaked nine tries come the close.
Centre Dan Kelly set the hosts on their way to victory and he was followed over the whitewash by Jack van Poortvliet, Ashton (3), George Martin, Matt Scott (2) and a penalty try.
In reply, the Chiefs - who more than held their own for the first half - countered with tries from Sam Simmonds, Stuart Hogg and Rus Tuima, but it was not to be and they were again left to rue another heavy away-day loss.
Having recovered from their humbling at Bath with back-to-back victories over Montpellier and the Stormers in the Heineken Champions Cup, the Chiefs returned to domestic duty against English rugby’s most decorated club.
Not surprisingly, Baxter opted to change things up from the previous week, parading a new front-row of debutant Niko Abulaze, Jack Yeandle and Josh Iosefa-Scott, as well as starts for Jack Dunne and Aidon Davis. Behind, Will Becconsall got his maiden top-flight start, whilst Solomone Kata and Hogg were also added in the absence of England duo Henry Slade and Jack Nowell.
With the Tigers also firmly in the hunt for one of the two remaining play-off places, it was no surprise that they were at full-strength for the contest. Hooker Julian Montoya had shaken off the effects of a head knock at Leinster to lead his side into battle, while Ashton was recalled on the wing as he closed in on 100 top-flight tries before his retirement at the end of the season.
Personnel in place and Welford Road packed to the rafters, it was the Chiefs who started on the front foot, quickly attacking their hosts with a spritely offloading game that had the Tigers quickly scrambling in defence. Although it was enterprising stuff from the visitors, they were unable to make any significant inroads as they were swamped by some determined defence.
Then, with their own first chance of the game, the Tigers showed their bite, grabbing the game’s opening points when Hendre Pollard was able to grubber in behind after a strong carry from No.8 Jasper Wiese and there was Kelly to collect the loose ball and power over in the corner for the converted score.
Moments later and the hosts threatened again, England scrum-half van Poortvliet knocking the ball over the try-line in a challenge with Woodburn. It mattered not for the natives as seconds later they watched their side add a second score, van Poortvliet combining masterfully down the right flank with Ashton to double their side’s advantage.
It was a somewhat harsh scoreline on the Chiefs, who were offering plenty around the park. However, they needed a response of sorts and they got it on 15 minutes when Sean O’Brien was released off the top of a line-out move, the Irishman made decent yards through the middle before Sam Simmonds took up the charge, rounding his way around at least three defenders to dot down.
The score ignited the Chiefs, but their cause was hampered not long after when Woodburn was sent to the sidelines for a ten-minute stint by referee Karl Dickson for a deliberate knock-on in midfield.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Baxter’s braves continued to dig in and when the Tigers looked to go wide with a cross-field kick, O’Brien plucked the ball from the air before feeding it back inside to Sam Simmonds, who darted towards the line before looping the ball back inside for Hogg to add the converted score.
Back in contention and firmly on the front foot, it was just what the Chiefs wanted in their pursuit of pulling themselves back into the game. But no sooner had that done the hard work, they shot themselves in the foot just before the interval as Rory O’Loughlin became the second Exeter player to see yellow - again for a deliberate knock-on.
Pollard slotted the penalty to extend his side’s lead, but was unable to add the extras to Leicester’s third try, Ashton the scorer as he latched onto another kick in behind from Anthony Watson to put his side ten clear at the turn.
HALF TIME: LEICESTER TIGERS 22 EXETER CHIEFS 12
Still down a man for the start of the half, the Chiefs again started brightly as decent carries from Sam Simmonds, Tom Wyatt and O’Brien all made decent inroads before the former knocked on as he looked to break clear of the cover.
Sadly, it would prove a false dawn for the Devonians, whose afternoon would get decidedly worse by the minute. With the Tigers in full pump, a slick attack from left to right allowed Ashton to pin back his ears and charge for the line. Both Hogg and Woodburn were in hot pursuit, collectively combining to what appeared a great cover tackle.
TV replays initially showed that Ashton had indeed been bundled into touch, but Dickson adjudged the efforts of Woodburn had in fact been illegal, preventing the former England man from claiming his milestone score. Not only did he issue a second yellow to the Chief, equalling a first-ever red card for the winger, but the double whammy was the award of a penalty try.
It was somewhat rough justice for Woodburn, whose actions were nothing more than trying to stop a score, but it mattered not to the now feastful Tigers, who were hellbent on devouring the now exposed Exeter carcass.
Ashton, undone minutes earlier, finally had his magic moment, finishing off a slick Tigers attack to score in the left corner - and he was followed over the line just moments later with an almost identical move by Scott to make it 48-12.
And it wasn’t long before the experienced speedster was grabbing his treble, this time applying the simple finish after the Tigers had sliced open the Chiefs with a coast-to-coast attack. Ashton hurdled the advertising boards to sit next to a very jubilant Tigers youngster and applaud what was a record-breaking day for himself.
Even then the Midlanders weren’t done, Scott grabbing their ninth of the afternoon when he was able to pick his route through the heart of the Chiefs midfield to dot down by the posts.
To their credit, the Chiefs continued to fight to the death and using their pack to punch the holes into the home defences, pressure was finally rewarded when replacement Tuima squirmed his way over from close range.
It was a small crumb of comfort from a devastating second half, which has left the Chiefs now looking for Champions Cup qualification, rather than the task of a play-off place.
Tigers: F Steward; C Ashton, M Scott, D Kelly, A Watson (H Potter 64); H Pollard (J Gopperth 65), J van Poortvliet (B Youngs 51); J Cronin (T West 3), J Montoya (capt, J Montoya 57), D Cole (J Heyes 49); G Martin (E Snyman 65), C Henderson; H Liebenberg, T Reffell, J Wiese (O Cracknell 54).
Tries - Kelly, Van Portvliet, Ashton (3), Penalty, Martin, Scott (2); Conversions - Pollard (4), Gopperth (2); Penalty - Pollard
Chiefs: S Hogg; T Wyatt, S O’Brien, S Kata (R O’Loughlin 8), O Woodburn; J Simmonds (H Skinner 57), W Becconsall (S Townsend 51); N Abulaze (S Sio 46), J Yeandle (capt, J Innard 46), J Iosefa-Scott (M Street 46); J Dunne, J Gray (M Williams 57); A Davis (R Tuima 46), C Tshiunza, S Simmonds (A Davis 71).
Tries - S Simmonds, Hogg, Tuima; Conversions - J Simmonds, Skinner
Yellow Cards: Woodburn (2), O’Loughlin
Red Card: Woodburn
Referee: K Dickson
Attendance: 22,189