CHIEFS’ HILL REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
JONNY HILL warned Leinster he and his Chiefs will be ready and waiting to ambush them after Rob Baxter’s men shot down Lyon with seven tries.
The England second row crossed for a brace and won man of the match for an outstanding display.
Eddie Jones was present to see Hill and brothers Sam and Joe Simmonds shine at Sandy Park.
Hill quickly focused his attention on the mouthwatering home quarterfinal clash with Leinster and said: “We will be ready for them… 100 percent!
“It will be another huge European occasion for us.”
Chiefs trailed 14-0 early on as Lyon full-back Toby Arnold sent scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud and wing Xavier Mignot over.
Exeter responded in true champions fashion, with Hill bulldozing his way over twice from close range.
Jonathan Wisniewski kicked a Lyon penalty, but they lost prop Vivien Devisme to the sin bin for pulling down a maul.
Olly Woodburn broke through the middle and threw the perfect pass out wide left for fellow wing Tom O’Flaherty to race over for a quick third try.
Wisniewski’s penalty edged Lyon ahead, but Chiefs were now dominant and Hill turned provider for centre Ollie Devoto to dive beneath the posts.
Flanker Dave Ewers crashed over after a barnstorming Jonny Gray run. Lyon lost another prop Xavier Chiocci to a yellow card and Chiefs’ pack turned up the power to win a scrum penalty try.
Woodburn darted onto Stuart Townsend’s grubber kick for the seventh before Chiefs replacement Jannes Kirsten received a yellow card at the death for a blatant trip.
Flanker Dylan Cretin finished off a consolation try for the visitors.