Aviva Premiership: Exeter Chiefs claim bonus-point win over London Irish

Damian Welch goes over for Exeter's fourth try

Gareth Steenson kicked 19 points as Exeter bounced back from last weekend's defeat by Newcastle to beat London Irish 44-24 in a bonus-point win at Sandy Park.

Exeter dominated the opening 40 minutes to lead 30-3 at the break with tries from Carl Rimmer, Henry Slade and Damian Welch. Steenson added three conversions and three penalties with Irish replying with a Shane Geraghty penalty.

It took 15 minutes for Exeter to add to their score and then crossed for two tries in as many minutes through Welch and Don Armand, both converted by Steenson. Irish scored three late tries thanks to Blair Cowan (two) and Andrew Fenby, with Geraghty adding the extras.

Exeter made four changes with Mitch Lees returning in the second row, Rimmer started at loosehead prop, Sam Hill at centre and Jack Nowell on the wing plus Armand switched to back row.

The visitors also made four changes from the side beaten 19-12 at home to Northampton with Tom Guest returning in the back row, Scott Steele at scrum half, Eamonn Sheridan at outside centre and Topsy Ojo on the left wing.

The Chiefs wasted an early opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a 10-metre penalty almost in front of the posts. Scrum-half Will Chudley took a quick tap penalty but he was stopped on the line and Irish won a turnover ball.

But the visitors were awarded a second chance a couple of minutes later from a further five metres out and this time, with Chudley holding the ball on the kicking tee, fly-half Steenson put three points on the board.

Irish responded immediately using the bulk of their pack but the Chiefs defence stood firm against the battering until they conceded a penalty which Geraghty slotted between the uprights to level the scores.

The Chiefs scored the opening try when Chudley's pass was knocked into the arms of Rimmer, who powered his way to the line. Referee Ian Tempest, in his first Aviva Premiership match, checked with TMO David Grashoff, before Steenson could add the extras.

The Irish defence was caught napping when Chudley found Steenson who provided a slip pass to centre Slade and he found a gap to score a try for the third match in a row with Steenson adding the conversion.

Chudley intercepted a stray pass before kicking the ball up field which Matt Jess chased, but full-back Fenby was first to the ball. The visitors conceded another penalty, though, which Steenson drilled between the uprights.

Steenson turned provider for the next try as he fed Nowell; the England wing shrugged off soft tackles and slipped the ball to lock Welch who stormed over the whitewash for the Chiefs' third try converted by Steenson.

Irish started the second half brightly but when the Chiefs regained control, 15 minutes after the restart, they secured a try-scoring bonus point with Welch crossing for his second touchdown with Steenson converting from the touchline.

The Chiefs wasted little time adding to their scoreline with Nowell side-stepping a couple of players before offloading to Armand who raced in from 25 metres to score his side's fifth try which Steenson duly converted to keep a clean sheet.

Frustration crept into the Irish play when replacement scrum half Hayden Thomas attempted to take a quick tap penalty only to be pushed to the ground by hooker David Paice who was duly sent to the sin-bin.

With 10 minutes remaining and a man down, Irish crossed for three late tries with two from replacement flanker Cowan and one from Fenby, all converted by Geraghty, as the Exiles succumbed to their first defeat on the road this season.