EX FACTOR

A double delight for Slade

ENGLAND star Henry Slade produced a masterclass to bring Exeter double delight – and bury his Premiership final nightmare.

A week after his try helped Chiefs become European champions, Slade scored another beauty to make the Sandy Park outfit just the fourth English side to win the Premiership and Champions Cup in the same season.

The pain of three defeats in the last four Premiership finals was washed away in the Twickenham rain as a Slade-inspired Exeter overcame a late scare to seal the deal.

And he said: “This feels so good after our previous years of heartache in finals. For the last few weeks to go as well as they have is just unreal.”

It was a heroic attempt by Wasps given they lost four players to coronavirus and worries whether they would even be allowed to play.

Had Gabriel Oghre’s late lineout throw not been intercepted on the Exeter line they might even have won their first title since 2008. Instead, captain Joe Simmonds took his unbroken run of goal kicks to 33 and Chiefs edged to glory.

“The boys worked so hard for these opportunities,” said the young fly-half. “We’ve learned from losing finals.”

Jimmy Gopperth kicked Wasps into an early lead before the Chiefs replied, Slade gliding through from distance for his try.

Jacob Umaga swept over to nudge Wasps back in front but Simmonds slotted two penalties to nudge Chiefs three points ahead at half-time.

Gopperth reeled in their lead but Simmonds kicked Exeter back in front and they clung on to claim victory.