Loader credits Irish fast starts for finally ending long winless run

21-33 London Irish

London Irish winger Ben Loader admitted it had been tough to keep a positive mindset after a winless opening five games of the season.

The 22-year-old was one of five Irish try-scorers as they ended a run of 11 Premiership matches without a win stretching back into last season.

“We are absolutely buzzing. We feel like this has been coming, we have been building for a result like this for a couple of weeks and have just been on the wrong side of it, but we are really pleased with what we put out there today,” said Loader.

“What has gone before does play on your mind a little bit when you get to that last third of the game, even when we were up, but credit to all the boys, we just kept going and didn’t take our foot off the gas, which we maybe have done over the past few weeks.”

The key to success for Irish was the way they started both halves, scoring two tries in the opening 10 minutes of each. “In past games we haven’t started so fast and it was a real focus for us to put the pressure on early and then keep that going throughout each half,” Loader said.

Despite Irish being 14-0 up with early tries by Agustin Creevy and Curtis Rona, Exeter hit back with two of their own from Will Witty and Stuart Hogg to level the scores at the break, but Loader admitted that Irish had expected a response.

“We knew they wouldn’t go away, but we never lost belief and didn’t want to go into our shells and shut up shop, and I think we showed that in the second half.”

Irish added second-half tries through Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Loader and Ollie Hassell-collins, with Chiefs’ Jack Nowell going over for a consolation score.

For Exeter it was their second defeat in three home games this season, and director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “Our home record is something we are going to have to change if we are going to push our way through the league and be where we want to be at the end of the season.

“There is a lot of the season left, but you can’t wait and wait, we’ve got to perform now.”