Baxter’s not sick of winning

ROB Baxter has warned the Premiership that Exeter will only get better after his side returned to action with a bonuspoint win in front of England head coach Eddie Jones.

Five months may have passed since the Chiefs and Leicester last played, but coronavirus and the lockdown hasn’t changed the fact they have very contrasting fortunes.

Tigers — under new head coach Steve Borthwick for the first time — started well, but they were eventually ground down by Exeter’s pack.

Baxter’s side stayed top and scored through Dave Ewers, Stuart Hogg, man-of-the-match Luke Cowan-Dickie and a penalty score with Joe Simmonds kicking two conversions.

Hogg’s effort was Exeter’s 50th in the Premiership this season, while England hooker Cowan-Dickie stood out despite being sick on the field.

Exeter director of rugby Baxter said: ‘We wanted to get some rugby under our belt and now we can look forward because there are one or two things we can get better at.’

Jones was a late arrival at Sandy Park and he missed flyhalf George Ford kick Leicester into a 6-0 lead as Exeter started sloppily.

Ewers was driven over before Hogg produced the best try of the day. Exeter broke from their half before Olly Woodburn straightened the line and put the Scotland full-back away. Hogg still had plenty to do but showed great pace to score in the corner. Simmonds converted.

Cowan-Dickie made it three at the start of the second half and marked the score in bizarre fashion by being ill. Simmonds converted before the two sides exchanged penalty tries.

Tigers persevered but Borthwick knows he has plenty of work to do. He confirmed new signing Nemani Nadolo was absent due to a visa issue.

Borthwick said: ‘We gave them some opportunities and a side of that quality will take those opportunities.

‘We made mistakes but the effort and the attitude was outstanding.’