Young bucks star as Chiefs run in seven
THE Sandy Park production line churned out another batch of match-winners as the Chiefs ran in seven tries to open their Anglo-Welsh Cup account.
Close-season signings Tom O’Flaherty, from the Ospreys, and James Freeman, from Championship side Jersey, marked their Chiefs senior debuts with tries.
And replacement lock Toby Salmon, making his second appearance after arriving from Rotherham Titans in the summer, came off the bench twice and scored within three minutes each time!
“Rob Baxter and the club are putting faith in young players and if you do that you get dividends,” said coach Ricky Pellow.
“Sam Simmonds is now pushing for England honours.”
The victory was built on a huge forward performance as the Chiefs pack executed the set pieces superbly, with props Alec Hepburn, back in immense form after a year on the sidelines following knee surgery, and Scotland veteran Moray Low proving too hot to handle at scrum-time.
Exeter turned early pressure into points when Joe Simmonds flighted his kick to corner perfectly for winger James Short who said: “I just had to catch and put it down.”
Northampton were level three minutes later with Cobus Reinach, Ken Pisi and Stephen Myler combining before Myler flicked the ball out of the tackle to put debutant full-back George Furback in.
Salmon was only on the pitch for five first-half minutes while Ollie Atkins underwent a head injury assessment but it was long enough to force his way over for Exeter’s second try.
Tom Hendrickson burst through the middle to split the visiting defence wide open but, with Matt Kvesic outside him, the centre inexplicably held on to the ball.
Northampton’s was short-lived as they succumbed to a typical Exeter pack try which ended on the fifth short-range drive as Hepburn muscled in.
As the Saints retaliated, Tom Stephenson was stopped just short before Argentine winger Juan Pablo Estelles forced his way over.
But Exeter struck twice more before the interval. Short’s electric burst put Northampton on the back foot, enabling Freeman to score.
Newcomers O’Flaherty and Exeter University student full-back Sal M’Boge combined to force Pisi into touch and claim a lineout for the catch and drive which took hooker Elvis Taione over for a 31-14 halftime lead.
Short mde a try-saving tackle on Cobus Reinach before Exeter forced their third scrum penalty.
The trademark catch and drive was halted inches short but the Chiefs recycled the ball and moved it out right where Ollie Devoto, back from injury, swatted the ball on for O’Flaherty’s debut try.
Salmon replaced Atkins for the second time and once again it took him just three minutes to strike, touching down after Northampton crumbled under four successive forward assaults.
Saints grabbed two late consolation tries with quick-thinking replacement scrum-half Alex Mitchell catching Exeter napping with a tap penalty on halfway before kicking over the defence and collecting to send Estelles in for his second before the winger’s break sent centre Rory Hutchinson in two minutes later.