JACK’S BACK AT THE DOUBLE IN CHIEFS ROMP

JACK NOWELL capped his comeback from injury with a brilliant brace as Exeter cemented their place in the Aviva Premiership play-offs with a six-try rout. Nowell has been out since he sprained his ankle at the beginning of March and was on the bench yesterday. The England and Lions wing came on for the injured Sam Hill after 15 minutes and showed no signs of rust with an all-action display. England head coach Eddie Jones, who was watching from the stands, would have been impressed with Nowell’s contribution as well as the displays from Henry Slade, Sam Simmonds and Alec Hepburn. Nowell said: ‘I’m so glad to be back as one of the toughest things to do is to watch the boys go out and enjoy themselves. ‘We’re in a really good position and having had the taste of winning the title, we know what to expect but want to repeat it.’ These are heady days for the Chiefs. Having secured a maiden league title last season, they appear on course to make it a second successive triumph. Yesterday’s victory extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points with three rounds left, leaving them all but assured of a home semi-final. On this evidence, no team will fancy coming here to derail their title bid. Owen Williams kicked the visitors into the lead with an early penalty but it was all one-way traffic after that. The Cherry and Whites found themselves under relentless pressure and were forced to make 132 tackles during a punishing first half. It was no surprise the Chiefs led 22-3 at the break after Hepburn, Simmonds and Olly Woodburn crossed for tries as Gloucester finished the half with 14 men when Ruan Ackermann was sent to the sin-bin. ‘Credit to Exeter, they were ruthless,’ said Gloucester coach Johan Ackermann. ‘You can’t play without the ball. Every team wants to keep the ball but Exeter have mastered it, especially when they get into your 22 area.’ Substitute scrum-half Callum Braley’s try in the 42nd minute was a brief riposte before Nowell’s double. The 24-year-old finished off a concerted period of Chiefs pressure with a well-taken score in the corner. Then came a moment of magic from the Cornishman as he evaded the tackles of Tom Hudson, Henry Trinder and Tom Marshall to race away for his second. Replacement fly-half Gareth Steenson intercepted on the Gloucester 22 and strolled over for his side’s sixth try in the dying minutes to complete the rout.