Exeter 24-12 Saracens: Chiefs tighten grip on top spot
Last Updated: 05/03/18 10:49am
Exeter extended their advantage as Aviva Premiership leaders and took another major step towards a home play-off by subduing Saracens 24-12 at Sandy Park.
This top-of-the-table clash - despite both sides being deprived of numerous players through injuries and international commitments - did not disappoint.
Chiefs fly-half Joe Simmonds - younger brother of England back-row forward Sam Simmonds, who featured off the bench after suffering a shoulder injury three weeks ago - kicked four penalties and provided a key assist for full-back Phil Dollman's try.
Exeter's superior scrum was rewarded with a second-half penalty try, while Saracens claimed touchdowns from flanker Ben Earl and centre Marcelo Bosch, with scrum-half Ben Spencer converting Earl's 33rd-minute touchdown.
Reigning champions Exeter, buoyed by victory over Northampton last weekend, were quickly out of the blocks.
Simmonds landed two penalties inside the opening 11 minutes, while the 21-year-old also displayed a maturity in terms of marshalling Exeter's back division as Chiefs looked to attack with first-phase ball.
Saracens weathered the initial storm, and they went close to cancelling out the deficit when full-back Alex Goode delivered an inch-perfect kick for Chris Wyles to gather at full speed, but the winger could not evade the touchline and Exeter escaped.
And Saracens were soon on the back foot once more after England lock George Kruis appeared to make a deliberate knock-on. Simmonds kicked the resulting penalty for a nine-point advantage after 27 minutes.
Saracens skipper Brad Barritt required treatment on two separate occasions following a knock to the back of his neck, and the visitors couldn't catch a break, despite Exeter being forced into an early change when prop Ben Moon limped off and was replaced by England international Alec Hepburn.
But eventually their quality told when centres Barritt and Bosch combined 30 metres out to free Earl in space, and he applied a brilliant finish, cutting back inside at pace to wrong-foot the Chiefs defence and claim a try that Spencer converted.
It was an unexpected setback for Exeter, yet they responded superbly and cut open Saracens' defence just three minutes later.
Centre Henry Slade, the Chiefs most incisive attacker, put Joe Simmonds into space and the Exeter fly-half rifled a pinpoint delivery to Dolman, who finished impressively in the corner.
Simmonds could not add the extras, and Saracens responded to claim the final score of an entertaining half when Bosch scored his team's second try and trimmed Exeter's lead to 14-12 at half-time.
And following a scoreless third quarter, Simmonds kicked his fourth penalty to move Exeter five points clear after Saracens were guilty of infringing at a scrum.
Saracens, despite playing some adventurous rugby with ball in hand, were a distant second-best in this play, and Exeter pressed the advantage home with a penalty try eight minutes from time.