Simmonds hat-trick for ruthless Exeter leaves Exiles facing up to cost of relegation
The fat lady may not yet be in full voice, but it will not be long until London Irish hear the sad song that confirms their relegation from the Aviva Premiership.
After their improbable 35-5 win at Harlequins last week had opened a sliver of light, Exeter Chiefs extinguished virtually all remaining hope, with No 8 Sam Simmonds plundering a hat-trick of tries, to leave the Exiles nine points adrift of Worcester Warriors with just two games remaining.
Relegation when it is confirmed, all but certainly against Saracens in two weeks, will carry a heavy price: £2.95million to be precise, according to the accounts released this week from their last drop into the Championship two years ago.
There will be other costs too. Highly-rated wing Joe Cokanasiga, who scored Irish’s only try, battering his way past Lachie Turner and Henry Slade, is almost certain to depart. Fellow youngsters Theo Brophy Clews, who also impressed in patches here, and Johnny Williams are also coveted.
More than anything the club desperately need certainty of direction. No players have been signed for next season. The Madejski Stadium, which the club moved into in 2000, is an albatross around their necks that they are desperate to be rid off. After forcing out director of rugby Nick Kennedy last month, the futures of technical consultant Declan Kidney and head coach Les Kiss have yet to be resolved, although former Ireland head coach Kidney indicated that he wanted to stay, regardless of what league the exiles are in next season.
“I was asked to come on board as a technical director for a period of time and that’s what I am doing now,” Kidney said. “There’s a group of coaches who are very good and I am trying to add value to that. I have enjoyed being back in rugby and if it suits the players then we can have a chat about it. I was asked to come on board for a couple of years so that’s what I am working towards.”
Going down, when it is confirmed, will carry a heavy price: £2.95million last time, two years ago
Ruthless, relentless, remorseless, Exeter were the worst possible opposition to face in these circumstances. Scoring inside two minutes through prop Ben Moon, they put their foot on Irish’s throats and kept it there for the rest of the match. A further five tries were added, all by the forwards and all converted by fly-half Gareth Steenson, to secure the luxury of a home semi-final with two matches left. Somehow you cannot imagine them taking it easy in those encounters.
“They are top of the league for a reason,” Kidney said. “They are ultra-efficient. They got to our goalline four times and came away with four tries. There’s nine points in it and there are 10 points left so we will keep fighting.”
The writing was on the wall once Dave Ewers, who had an outstanding game at blindside, snaffled a turnover on the halfway line. Within a dozen-odd meticulous phases, Moon was driven over. Two tries in 10 minutes from Simmonds effectively put the match to bed, the first after some expert midfield play by Ian Whitten and Slade, the second off the back of a dominant maul.
When you are down like the Exiles then so is your luck. After losing flanker Max Northcote-green to an arm injury inside five minutes, full-back Tommy Bell appeared to snap his Achilles fielding a high ball with no Exeter player near him.
They did enjoy a measure of good fortune that Jack Nowell’s try was ruled out by the television match official, but the reprieve did not last long as Simmonds brought up his 12th Premiership try of the season and the Exeter’s bonus-point score early in the second half after another excellent piece of backs play carved open the Irish defence.
Cokanasiga provided a brief moment of solace, demonstrating why so many clubs are interested in securing his services, but second row Mitch Lees and replacement hooker Jack Yeandle plunged over from close range to leave Irish staring down a long, relegation-shaped barrel.