Exeter Chiefs crush Newcastle Falcons in Aviva Premiership

Don Armand (left) scored a pair of tries as Exeter eased to a second successive Premiership victory

Exeter banished the memories of last season's loss at Kingston Park with a comprehensive 41-3 victory over Newcastle Falcons.

The Chiefs secured the bonus point after just half an hour and went on to score five first-half tries as they built a 31-3 interval lead.

There were two tries for No 8 Don Armand, one for Julian Salvi on his first start for Exeter and one each for Will Chudley, Matt Jess and Moray Low. Gareth Steenson kicked four conversions and a late penalty.

Newcastle were actually the first side on the scoreboard when Mike Delany slotted over a fifth-minute penalty, but the fly-half was at fault for Exeter's first try as his kick was charged down by scrum-half Chudley, who scored against his former club.

Will Chudley scored Exeter's first try against his former side

Some excellent pick and drives and two comprehensive rolling mauls, the second from a lineout in the corner, ended with flanker Salvi driving over for a try. Steenson again converted.

Steenson demonstrated Exeter's dominance as early as the 22nd minute when he spurned a kick at goal, putting the penalty into the corner instead and the Exeter pack drove it up to the line.

When Chudley was denied, Armand snapped it up to dive over and make it 19-3.

Newcastle tried to do the same, kicking successive penalties to the corner, but while Alex Tait and Delany both went close the Falcons did not have anything like the efficiency of Exeter in the red zone.

Newcastle scrum-half Michael Young is tackled by Matt Jess

It came as no surprise when the Chiefs snuffed out both attacks and then swiftly scored their bonus point try with full-back Phil Dollman surging away.

Facing a two-on-one, Falcons full-back Simon Hammersley had no chance of stopping wing Jess scoring on his 100th Premiership appearance.

Armand grabbed his second and Exeter's fifth try after a little piece of Slade magic with a cutback and inside pass for the big No 8 to score under the posts, and Steenson then gave the Chiefs a 31-3 lead at the break.

The Falcons changed their whole front row early in the period and brought on Argentina centre Belisario Agulla for his debut.

Thomas Waldrom offloads the ball

It seemed Agulla had made an almost immediate impact, taking Tait's inside pass to cross in the 53rd minute, but referee Ian Tempest decided there had been a knock-on early in the move after looking at the big screen.

Agullo was certainly having a go and he broke clear again to find No 8 Ally Hogg but the big back row simply did not have the pace to make it to line.

Hogg tried to find Hammersley with an inside pass and that allowed Exeter to get back and turn the ball over at the breakdown.

The Chiefs worked the ball into midfield, kicked a penalty to the corner from halfway and drove prop Low over for their sixth try.

Newcastle winger Giovanbattista Venditti crossed with 10 minutes left but this time the referee judged Tom Catterick's long pass to be forward.

Steenson took Exeter past the 40-point mark with a penalty which was roundly greeted by boos from the 5,160 crowd.