Chiefs hunt down Tigers

Exeter celebrate their victory

Exeter beat Leicester for the first time in the Aviva Premiership to get their new campaign off to a flying start.

Tigers fly-half George Ford missed two late drop goal attempts, but the Chiefs were good value for their win at Welford Road against an admittedly under-strength side.

The visitors went ahead straight from the kick-off, as wing Josh Tatupu grabbed the ball and sent centre Sireli Naqelevuki in from 15 metres, with Ignacio Mieres converting.

The Tigers hit back immediately, though, when Thomas Waldrom found a gap through a pile of bodies to touch down.

The match swung back and forth in the first quarter as centre Billy Twelvetrees converted Waldrom's score and teenage fly-half Ford dropped a goal to put Leicester 10-7 ahead, before Mieres levelled matters with a 25-metre penalty.

Leicester regained the lead when Morris chipped over the top of the defence to score in the left corner, but Exeter were not to be denied.

Big number eight Richard Baxter finished off a powerful Chiefs' drive in the home 22 with a try which Mieres converted, before the fly-half added two more penalties before half-time.

Leicester trailed 23-15 at the break but, after Twelvetrees dragged back three more points soon after the restart, it got worse for the home club.

Chiefs' wing Matt Jess raced through the Leicester midfield after his pack had gained ground into the opposition 22 and, with another Mieres conversion, there was suddenly daylight between the teams at 30-18.

However, Leicester are a tough side to crack on home turf and they fought back gamely.

Thrilling

Another Twelvetrees penalty reduced the arrears of the thrilling contest to nine points before Morris sped down the wing again to chase a rolling ball and touch down in the left corner, and a huge conversion from Twelvetrees off the touchline put Leicester just two points behind.

Goalkicker Gareth Steenson came on as a replacement for Mieres and was immediately called into action but failed with three vital penalty shots.

And Leicester threw the kitchen sink at their opponents in a fantastic finale and looked to have secured the win, only for Ford to miss a straightforward drop goal wide of the upright.

The last play of the game arrived with the Tigers camped on the Chiefs' 22, but one last attempt at a drop goal from Ford from 30 metres out, with the Chiefs players trying to charge it down, went wide.