Chiefs thrash Leicester on day one

New season underway with bonus-point win

Exeter Chiefs 40 Leicester Tigers 6

(half-time 14 - 6)
 

Exeter produced a scintillating second half display to beat the Leicester Tigers, in round one of the new Gallagher Premiership season.  

After an error filled first 25 minutes, which allowed Leicester to gain a 6-0 lead through the boot of George Ford, Exeter finally got into their stride, with Olly Woodburn opening the Chiefs scoring in the 28th minute, after a good initial break by man of the match Matt Kvesic. 

With the Exeter forwards starting to have more of an impact on the game, Exeter’s Sam Simmonds was able to power over from short range, meaning Exeter led 14-6 at the break. 

Exeter produced a clinical display in the second half, with tries coming from Cowan-Dickie, Slade, Kvesic and Whitten. Leicester failed to make an impression in the second half, with the Chiefs defence looking dominant and no doubt pleasing new defence coach and former player Julian Salvi. 

The best try of the match came right at the death, after a well won turn over inside Leicester’s half, the ball was spun wide to Slade, who broke through the defence and then offloaded to the supporting Whitten, who went in under the posts. 

Gareth Steenson was almost faultless with the boot converting five out of his six kicks, bringing the final score to Exeter Chiefs 40, Leicester Tigers 6. 

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Nic White; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Jack Yeandle (c), 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Ollie Atkins, 5 Sam Skinner, 6 Don Armand, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Sam Simmonds

Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Toby Salmon, 20 Sean Lonsdale, 21 Stu Townsend, 22 Joe Simmonds, 23 Henry Slade

Leicester Tigers: 15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Greg Bateman, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 3 Dan Cole, 4 Mike Fitzgerald, 5 Will Spencer, 6 David Denton, 7 Brendon O’Connor, 8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 David Feao, 18 Gaston Cortes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Mike Williams, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Kyle Eastmond, 23 Jordan Olowofela

Attendance: 10,452