Chiefs grind out a win against Sale
Don’t expect this to be top of the pile in terms of the highlights reel, but Exeter Chiefs secured a vital, hard-fought away win to send them back to the top of the Aviva Premiership.
Just how long Rob Baxter’s side remain in pole position will be decided come the end of the weekend, but for now the defending champions are once more proving their credentials.
Five days after winning in the sunshine of the South of France, now the Chiefs were claiming equally precious reward on a cold and crisp night in the North West.
Lachie Turner’s converted second half try, plus a penalty from Gareth Steenson on his 200th league appearance for the club, proved sufficient enough for the Chiefs to claim their fifth league win in seven starts.
Faf De Klerk kicked a penalty in each half for the Sharks, who gleaned a crucial bonus point on the night, but the night belonged to Devon’s finest, who will now ready themselves for yet another new start, this time in the Anglo-Welsh Cup against Northampton Saints next Saturday.
Returning to domestic action after back-to-back wins in the European Champions Cup against Glasgow Warriors and Montpellier, Baxter made five changes in personnel to that which had started the game the week previous.
Up front Carl Rimmer and Harry Williams were brought into the front-row, Ollie Atkins got the nod in the engine room, while Sam Simmonds - who was called into the England squad for the first time this week - was added to the back row.Behind, James Short was the sole change in the back division, coming in on the left wing.
The Sharks, meanwhile, also made a handful of changes following their French fortnight, where they drew with Toulouse, before losing at Lyon in the Challenge Cup.Into the home pack came a new-look back-row of Tom Curry, Josh Strauss and skipper Jono Ross, while behind Will Addison came in at full-back and former Chiefs player Byron McGuigan was recalled on the left wing.
Sale Sharks 6 Exeter Chiefs 10
For the full match report go to: https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/sale-6-chiefs-10
