Aviva Premiership: Exeter Chiefs beat Wasps to move second
By Keith Moore
Last Updated: 01/05/16 5:33pm
Exeter Chiefs moved to second in the Aviva Premiership standings after beating Wasps 24-3 at Sandy Park on Sunday.
Tries from Olly Woodburn, Phil Dollman and Jack Nowell handed the Chiefs a win that takes them one step closer to a home semi-final with one round remaining.
The play-offs places have been confirmed, with Saracens and Leicester joining Wasps and Exeter at the end of the season, but the fight for a home semi-final continues as Exeter now find themselves two points above today's rivals in the standings. Wasps play London Irish in their final fixture, while Exeter travel to the Stoop to take on Harlequins.
Wasps were still in the game at half-time, only 7-3 down, but fell short with the wind against them in the second half along with a ruthless Chiefs outfit.
Exeter employed a typically attacking philosophy from the outset in a quiet opening quarter, turning down the chance to kick for points in favour of attacking lineouts, but Wasps were equal to the driving maul as they repelled their hosts on each occasion.
In the end the opening try came off the back of a lineout, but it was scored by the backs after Will Chudley broke blind. The ball found its way to Woodburn who shrugged off the attempted tackle of Frank Halai and did well to stay in play as he dotted down in the corner. Gareth Steenson nailed the difficult conversion to put Exeter 7-0 up after 28 minutes.
Elliot Daly then brought his side to within four points from the kicking tee, bringing an end to a closely-fought first half.
The Chiefs shed their attacking outlook in the second half, opting to kick for poles when they were awarded a pair of penalties within five minutes of the break, though Steenson was only successful with one of the shots.
Dollman was next on the scoresheet, running a superb line to cut through the Wasps defence and score under the poles for a 17-3 lead as the third quarter drew to a close.
James Short then appeared to have furthered his side's advantage when he stretched to apply pressure on a ball that had been allowed to bounce in the in-goal area, though after extensive replays the TMO decided Short had grounded the ball simultaneously with Wasps' Rob Miller, ruling out the try as Exeter were awarded a 5m scrum.
The home side would not have to wait too long for their third try, with a sweeping move to the left leaving the defence stretched, and Nowell cut inside the covering Wasps defenders to round off a clinical performance from Rob Baxter's men.
