Praise keeps on coming for prolific Simmonds

Chiefs stalwart equals record for tries scored in Premiership season by forward

EXETER CHIEFS forwards coach Rob Hunter was full of praise for number eight Sam Simmonds, after his two scores on Saturday saw him level the record for tries scored in a Premiership season by a forward.

Simmonds (pictured below) took his tally for this campaign to 16 tries as Exeter were convincing 41-10 comeback winners over Worcester Warriors at a blustery and rainlashed Sandy Park.

Henry Slade, Dave Ewers, Stu Townsend and Jacques Vermeulen also scored tries for Exeter, with Joe Simmonds kicking a penalty and four conversions as the hosts moved back into second place in the Gallagher Premiership table.

Francois Venter scored Worcester’s try, with Jamie Shillcock adding a penalty and a conversion.

Hunter said: “It’s a fantastic testament to the way Sam works and it’s a special achievement for any player.

“With 45mph winds and rain forecast, we would have taken a bonuspoint victory as it’s important that we control our own destiny.

“We were pretty calm at half-time [despite trailing 10-8] as we knew we had to keep it simple and keep our discipline, for if we got close to their line we knew the scores would come,” Hunter added.

Levelling the record capped a terrific week for Sam Simmonds, who last Thursday celebrated his call-up for the British and Irish Lions.

After joining Leicester’s Neil Back (1998-99) and Exeter’s Thomas Waldrom (2014-15) on 16 tries, he said: “I love scoring tries and I’ve got four regular games to go to try and score the two tries to break the Premiership record for any player.

“It helps when players like Dave Ewers and Franny [Tomas Francis] keep forcing me over.

“It was a tough first half in those conditions but it was about staying in the game, so we were happy to go in at half-time only two points down.

“We played in the right areas in the second half and we just knew we had to stick to our jobs.”

The only blot on Exeter’s day was a further injury to wing Jack Nowell, who limped off midway through the second half.

Hunter said: “I’m not sure yet what the problem is, but Jack has had a horrible run of injuries with a number of knock-backs in terms of rehab, but he’s a very professional guy so he will work through it.”

Worcester head coach Jonathan Thomas believed the final score was harsh on his battling Warriors.

He said: “In the first half, we played the conditions really well but didn’t capitalise, as I thought we had the better set-piece.

“We were disappointed to concede the eight points before the interval – their try was a breakaway one and the penalty came at the scrum after Fin [Smith] had kicked the ball dead.

“Discipline killed us in the second half – you can’t afford to concede 13 or 14 penalties in a match, but the scoreline doesn’t reflect the effort we put in.”