Aviva Premiership: Exeter brought down to earth with 24-20 defeat to Leicester

Freddie Burns was the stand-out performer as Leicester Tigers came from behind to beat Exeter Chiefs 24-20 in an enthralling Aviva Premiership clash at Sandy Park on Saturday afternoon.

Following their thrilling 52-0 victory over newly-promoted London Welsh on the opening weekend, Rob Baxter’s Chiefs were humbled as the experience of 10-time Premiership champions Leicester showed in a fiercely-contested clash.

Burns, who excelled throughout with ingenuity and composure aplenty, kicked 11 points and played a hand in both Leicester tries, scored by Anthony Allen and Ben Youngs, as the Tigers moved level with Saracens and Bath on nine points at the Premiership summit.

Dave Ewers and Haydn Thomas both crossed the whitewash for Exeter and Gareth Steenson kicked 10 points, but their efforts could only claim a losing bonus point for the hosts.  

With the Rugby World Cup just a year away the arrival of the Webb Ellis Trophy in Devon as part of its country-wide tour offered a distinct reminder of the importance of this Premiership campaign for those seeking to earn an international call-up.

Stuart Lancaster, the England head coach, will undoubtedly have been impressed with the performances turned in by the likes of Burns and Leicester colleague Youngs, while Exeter’s rising star Henry Slade provided an intriguing subplot as he lined up opposite the uncompromising Manu Tuilagi.

Flanker Ewers had got Exeter off to the perfect start as the hosts took advantage of a sixth-minute sin-binning for Fijian flyer Vereniki Goneva, who the TMO adjudged had put in a high tackle.

Eschewing the opportunity to kick for goal, England prospect Slade kicked to touch and Ewers powered over from the subsequent line out as Exeter stamped their authority on the tie.

Midfield duel

Slade – posted in midfield instead of his familiar fly-half berth – stood up to the challenge of facing England centre Tuilagi with distinction, chopping his counterpart down thrice in quick succession despite giving away significant height and weight.

Leicester’s pack grew into the tie midway through the first period and when they drew a penalty from the Exeter defence, like their opposition, they declined the opportunity to kick for three in favour of the punt.

From the line-out Burns – currently seen as understudy to Owen Farrell in the England No 10 jersey – stabbed a beautifully weighted grubber through the Exeter defence, which Allen dotted down.

Burns’ conversion restored parity, though, it was short-lived as Chiefs scrum-half Thomas spun his way out of trouble at the breakdown to drive over Exeter’s second try of the match.

Steenson extended the lead to 10 points with the extras before exchanging penalties with Burns, who managed to reduce Leicester’s arrears to just four points at the break.

Burns, whose Leicester debut was overshadowed by a Goneva hat-trick last weekend, brought the Tigers within a point shortly after the restart as the visitors’ experience started to shine through.

England scrum-half Youngs, who was lively throughout, earned his reward on the hour as he scurried over the line to put Leicester into the lead for the first time in the match.

A Steenson penalty cut the deficit to one point with seven minutes to play, but it was the Tigers who were to have the final say, replacement fly-half Owen Williams wrapping up victory with a fourth three-pointer for Richard Cockerill’s men.