Prem Rugby: Exeter beat Sale to move into play-off places
Exeter Chiefs beat Sale Sharks 26-14 at Sandy Park on Saturday, moving the Chiefs into the Prem play-off places and securing a try-scoring bonus point in the match. The win saw Exeter take a third-place berth in the prem rugby table with two converted and two further tries sealing the result. Sale remain seventh, their outside hopes of a top-four finish now all but over.
Prem Rugby: match report and decisive moments
Exeter stamped authority early, racing into a 12-0 lead inside 15 minutes with tries from Stephen Varney and Campbell Ridl, the Chiefs dominating territory and possession in the opening quarter. Sale hit back through Ernst van Rhyn to reduce the deficit, but Olly Woodburn’s try restored a 19-7 halftime lead for the hosts. Dan du Preez crossed early in the second half to cut the margin to five, yet Paul Brown-Bampoe’s touchdown under the posts with 15 minutes remaining secured Exeter a 26-14 victory and a bonus point.
Try scorers for Exeter were Varney, Ridl, Woodburn and Brown-Bampoe; Henry Slade added three conversions. Sale’s scores came from van Rhyn and Dan du Preez, with Rob du Preez kicking two conversions. The victory moves Exeter into third place in the competition and ensures they will remain in the top four at the end of the round while Bristol and Leicester meet on Sunday.
Immediate reactions
Rob Baxter, director of rugby at Exeter Chiefs, reflected on the week and the returned internationals: “It’s been nice to get the international lads back in this week, they’ve settled back in very well and we’ve had a couple of good, energetic training sessions. They’re all keen to play, which is always a good sign. “
Baxter also underlined the challenge posed by Sale: “If there’s ever a team that can show up and slap you if you’re in the wrong frame of mind, it’s Sale Sharks. We’ve known that in the past, so we’ve got to get a lot right this week. We certainly have to make sure that, at the very least, we try to set the intensity of the game in the first five minutes. First and foremost, we’ve got to get back up to PREM intensity and PREM speed, then go from there. “
On team selection ahead of the match, Sale made two changes from their previous cup win with Raffi Quirke returning to the side and Marius Louw also recalled; Alex Sanderson named a strong XV with the pack retained. Exeter’s matchday squad benefited from the return of five internationals to club colours, including Stephen Varney and other internationals who rejoined the Chiefs for the fixture.
What’s next
The win guarantees Exeter will remain inside the top four at the close of the round; their placing in the prem rugby table will stand while Bristol and Leicester meet on Sunday (kick-off for Exeter’s match was 3: 05pm ET). Sale, now seventh, face an uphill task to reopen their play-off chances. Team managements will weigh up selection and fitness issues after this weekend’s results, with Exeter assessing the impact of returning internationals and Sale reviewing the route back into contention in the weeks ahead.
