Steenson rolls back years as Chiefs pile more misery on Saints

EXETER celebrated their 10th anniversary in the Premiership by reinforcing their commanding position at the top of the table — and condemning Northampton to a sixth consecutive home defeat. For the Saints, this is now a record sequence of league results at Franklin’s Gardens that all but ends their fading title hopes. For Exeter, another emphatic demonstration of squad depth saw their reserve line-up claim another major scalp on the road, following the epic victory over Bristol at Ashton Gate 10 days earlier. Rob Baxter’s imperious Chiefs thus marked a club landmark in fitting fashion. Exactly a decade after beating Gloucester in their first Premiership fixture, they won in the East Midlands with a team featuring two survivors from then, Gareth Steenson and Phil Dollman. In the seventh minute, Exeter surged in front with a sweeping, long-range try. Tom O’Flaherty made good ground on the right and, after Tomas Francis crashed on, Sean Lonsdale was released through a gap and he barged past George Furbank’s attempted tackle to touch down. Steenson converted and was heavily involved in the Chiefs’ next try five minutes later. The fly-half’s inside pass allowed outstanding Exeter blindside Jannes Kirsten to gallop through the Northampton ranks, with Steenson (right) adding the extras. The hosts appeared in danger of capitulating but, to their credit, they fought back. A multi-phase, route-one onslaught paved the way for David Ribbans to smash over the line on the half-hour, for a try converted by Dan Biggar.

Then, a minute before the break, Biggar’s pass put James Fish in space and the hooker sent scrum-half Henry Taylor off to the line to make it 12-14. Three minutes after halftime, Saints were ahead. Rory Hutchinson’s arcing break carved Exeter open, Biggar maintained the momentum and the ball reached Ribbans, who bumped off England prop Alec Hepburn and stretched to touch down. Biggar’s extras made it 19 unanswered points. But the Chiefs have the winning habit. A Steenson penalty cut the deficit, then nine minutes from time a lineout drive on one flank laid the platform as O’Flaherty darted over in the left corner. The match-winning wing said: ‘It was a good, old-fashioned ding-dong. We have to keep pushing forward.’