Exeter end Sarries’ 22-match unbeaten run
This was some Christmas present for Rob Baxter as his Exeter side ended Saracens’ 22-match unbeaten run in style to return to the summit of the Gallagher Premiership.
Questions have been asked of the Chiefs after another underwhelming season in Europe, and their home Champions Cup defeat to Gloucester only served to give the doubters further ammunition.
How they responded here. In front of a rocking, sold-out Sandy Park crowd, Exeter’s forwards stood up to be counted as Baxter’s men blew Saracens away to record a bonus-point success. It was the first Premiership defeat for the defending champions since March as Exeter scored tries through Luke Cowan-Dickie, Harry Williams, a penalty score, and man of the match Matt Kvesic.
Saracens dominated the first quarter, but after that they were outclassed and their pack were very much second best. That does not happen often.
Mark McCall, Saracens director of rugby, said: “We were well beaten and beaten in most areas. We were good for 15 or 20 minutes and had a lot of control of field position and possession. But after that we allowed a lot of things to impact our game – we made mistakes in the back field, gave away penalties, and piled pressure on ourselves. It was a disappointing performance.
“Exeter were very good as well and their kicking game was excellent and put us under a lot of pressure. It was pressure we couldn’t alleviate. We haven’t had a setback or a feeling like this for a while.”
Baxter, McCall’s opposite number, said: “We are pleased. It might sound odd, but the result was secondary to me here. I wanted the players to come out of the game and know they had challenged Saracens. We weren’t faultless, but on our day we can beat a lot of good sides.
“I don’t think this result says much more than what people have already been saying.
“The view is us and Saracens are out in front, but this league is so competitive and I’m not sure I agree with that.”
It was all Saracens – and Owen Farrell – early on. Exeter were dealt a prematch blow with captain Jack Yeandle ruled out due to illness, but CowanDickie stepped in and Gareth Steenson was promoted to the captaincy.
This was the first game between these two sides since Saracens beat the Chiefs 27-10 in May’s Premiership final and while the defending champions started with a bang, it was Exeter who went to the break ahead.
Farrell kicked a 45-metre penalty in the sixth minute and while a Saracens try looked almost certain, a series of drives close to the ruck were stopped.
Still, after Vincent Koch was stopped short, referee Tom Foley brought play back for an earlier infringement and Farrell slotted his second kick from in front of the posts.
Exeter then grabbed the opening try out of nowhere. Steenson kicked to the corner instead of opting for three points, only to see his team bullied into touch following a short line-out move.
It gave Saracens the throw in, but a clearance attempt by Ben Spencer was charged down by Sam Skinner and Cowan-Dickie pounced to score after the TMO had been consulted. Steenson nailed the kick.
In the build-up to the try, Saracens had lost centre and captain Brad Barritt to a head injury and he staggered from the field looking quite dazed. He did not return.
Chiefs turned down two kickable penalties in favour of touch, but with both teams being pinged at scrum time, Foley’s whistle was a regular accompaniment to proceedings.
Strangely, the try seemed to rattle Saracens as they dropped a series of high balls and Steenson added another penalty with the last kick of the half.
Farrell struck a post with a penalty attempt on the resumption, but responded with another fine low kick which pinned Exeter back.
The entertainment remained gripping. Both sides turned the ball over, but as the game wore on, Exeter only grew stronger as Saracens slipped away. Alex Goode made a series of unusual errors and the Chiefs – who unloaded their bench – sensed blood.
Kvesic won a breakdown penalty and Steenson again turned down three points. Exeter’s constant pressure finally paid off when Williams drove
over to the right of the posts. Steenson converted.
Sandy Park erupted and it soon got even better for the raucous home crowd, whose team were well on top.
Another powerful forward drive left Saracens at sixes and sevens and with no option other than to illegally collapse the Exeter driving maul.
Schalk Burger was the man to do so and the South African was yellow carded, but only after Foley had run under the posts to award a penalty try.
Saracens, who spent long periods of the second 40 in their own half, were never going to come back, but they showed their champion spirit to gain a late consolation as Spencer went through a gap after a charge from Christian Judge. Farrell converted.
But there was still time for Exeter to laugh last. It was more of the same; a huge forward drive, and Kvesic emerged over the line to complete Saracens’ day of misery.
The two teams clashed following the try, but the hosts cared little and Joe Simmonds’s conversion capped off a day to remember.
“Brad was pretty shaken with concussion and Michael Rhodes has an AC injury,” McCall added. “But we have good enough players to cope. We have to make a response happen.”
Baxter said: “At times we made Saracens look a bit ragged. After the first 10 minutes it looked like it was us who had the discipline issue. At the end of the game it was Saracens who gave away uncharacteristic penalties.
“If we play Saracens again, there are areas where we feel we can get some momentum against them.”
‘Exeter were very good and their kicking game was excellent. We haven’t had a setback like this for a while’