Quins flair crushed by the boot of Simmonds
NOT many teams outscore Exeter for tries at Sandy Park – but Harlequins still took home only a losing bonus point from a nervy opening Premiership match.
Seventeen points from the boot of fly-half Joe Simmonds, who landed five penalties and a conversion from six attempts, enabled the Chiefs to edge a close encounter.
Exeter head coach Ali Hepher said: “We’ve worked with Joe a little bit – he’s an 80 per cent kicker already – just to tighen up a small area.
“He’s modified his technique slightly and kicked very well today under pressure.”
While Joe kicked the crucial points, older brother Sam Simmonds turned in a man-of-the-match performance after missing most of last season following knee surgery.
“His pace is a key factor. The injection of speed when the ball was in his hands was fantastic,” said Hepher.
But Quins, with flying winger Gabriel Ibitoye diving in for two touchdowns, gave the Chiefs all the problems they could handle.
The 21-year-old Londoner was the danger-man from the off. The match was only two minutes old when he beat two men on the outside before diving over but a replay showed he had put a foot in touch.
Marcus Smith, who opened the scoring with an eighth-minute penalty, tested the Exeter defence with three early probing crossfield kicks before a quick tap penalty unleashed Ibitoye whose searing burst of pace took him over in the left corner.
The Chiefs scrum fell foul of referee Christopher Ridley three times and the penalty count made it difficult to sustain their attacking rhythm – an issue Hepher insists they will address.
Sam Simmonds led the charge with a barnstorming run through the middle before Exeter recycled to drive lock Jonny Hill in for their only try with Joe Simmonds, who had landed an earlier penalty, converting to edge them 10-8 ahead.
The Chiefs again spurned their usual tactic of kicking for the corner as a second penalty extended their lead before Smith landed his second in the closing minute of the first half.
The fly-half ’s third penalty, after Jannes Kirsten was penalised for playing the ball on the ground at a ruck, edged the visitors into a onepoint lead.
Four minutes later Joe Simmonds restored Exeter’s lead after Quins hooker Scott Baldwin was punished for failing to release.
Exeter abandoned their penalty-kicking policy – but promptly lost the resulting lineout when Matt Symons claimed possession before increasing their lead with a penalty from in front of the posts.
Danger-man Ibitoye dived in for his second try for Harlequins, surving a long video inspection of a suspected forward pass by the TMO.