Leicester Tigers slipped to a first defeat in four games as Exeter Chiefs claimed a 34-15 Aviva Premiership victory at Welford Road.
Tigers got off to a good start with a try inside the first five minutes for Italy international Michele Rizzo.
But Exeter fought back to take a commanding 27-8 half-time lead through Kai Horstmann’s charge-down score, a penalty try and a try for Stuart Townsend.
Tigers rallied at the start of the second period with a smart try from Maxime Mermoz. But Exeter claimed the try bonus and secured their victory with a fourth of the game, scored from close range by Mitch Lees.
Tom Youngs and Tom Croft returned to the forward pack for the meeting of fifth and second in the Aviva Premiership. Youngs lined up alongside Greg Bateman and Michele Rizzo, who played for Italy against England last weekend. Croft was named in a back row that included Brendon O’Connor and Luke Hamilton.
Matt Smith returned to the backline alongside Mermoz, with Peter Betham moving to the bench. Jono Kitto started at scrum-half with Owen Williams at fly-half.
Tigers flew out of the blocks to take the game to Exeter in the opening stages. Williams’s high kick was not dealt with by Phil Dolman and JP Pietersen kicked towards the Exeter line. Olly Woodburn was alert to the danger and hacked into touch with Pietersen in pursuit.
Tigers secured the lineout and while the maul was pulled down they maintained pressure and Rizzo drove over from close range for his first try of the season. Unconverted, it gave Tigers a 5-0 lead after five minutes.
Rizzo was pinged for playing scrum-half Stuart Townsend at a ruck but Henry Slade miscued his kick from halfway, the ball landing wide and short.
It was temporary reprieve and Exeter took the lead with their first try. Kai Horstmann charged down Williams’s clearance and the ball bounced kindly on the Leicester line for the flanker to score under the posts. Slade converted to put Exeter 7-5 ahead.
Tigers responded by putting together almost 30 phases in the Exeter half. They met stern resistance from the visitors but were rewarded with a penalty as Mitch Lees failed to release and Williams landed a simple penalty to put Tigers 8-7 ahead.
Again the lead was short-lived. Tigers were pinged on their 22 at the restart and Slade landed his kick to give Exeter a 10-8 lead.
Short, Thomas Waldrom and Dollman combined to punch a hole in the Leicester midfield. The ball was worked to the left where Ian Whitten’s kick beat Woodburn into touch 5m from the Leicester line.
Exeter maintained the pressure through consecutive lineout penalties on the Leicester line. And when Tigers pulled down the second drive referee Matthew Carley awarded Exeter a penalty try. Youngs received a yellow card and Slade converted to put Exeter 17-8 ahead.
The visitors made their man advantage count with a third try right at the end of the sin-bin period. Geoff Parling found himself in space on the right where he was hauled down just short of the line but Townsend followed up to dive over Croft’s tackle to score. Slade added the touchline conversion to give the Chiefs a 24-8 lead.
Slade extended the Exeter lead by another three points with the final kick of the half, punishing a ruck offence with a simple penalty to send the visitors in at the break 27-8 ahead.
Tigers sent on Ellis Genge at the start of the half, and Sam Harrison and Mike Williams shortly after the restart.
Tigers had to score first in the second period and they did just that, six minutes after the restart. Mermoz stepped off his left foot, through a gap in the Exeter defence and managed to ride Woodburn’s tap tackle to score next to the posts. Williams converted to cut the deficit to 27-15.
A knock-on by Woodburn as he tried to scoop up Williams’s kick gave Tigers field position 6m from the Exeter line. Tigers were awarded a penalty at the scrum and successive lineout penalties, but no card was forthcoming.
Instead, Owen Williams’s cross-field kick picked out Thompstone, who touched down at the back of the in-goal area but the TMO ruled he had run out of pitch.
Play came back for the penalty and when Exeter infringed a third time at the lineout Parling was finally shown a yellow card.
Harrison took a whack on the knee at a ruck and had to come off. It forced Tigers into a rejig with Peter Betham replacing Harrison and Freddie Burns going to scrum-half.
Exeter took advantage at the first scrum to win possession against the head 10m from the Leicester line. And they made the position pay by driving Lees over for the bonus-point fourth try. Slade converted to give Chiefs a 34-15 lead.
Good defence by Thompstone and Veainu forced Short into a knock-on just short of the line, as Exeter looked to extend their lead.
Tigers had the chance to score consolation points with two late penalty lineouts. However, Mike Williams knocked-on as he charged onto a pass at the first before another handling error conceded possession at the next lineout as Tigers ended the game empty-handed.
Tigers got off to a good start with a try inside the first five minutes for Italy international Michele Rizzo.
But Exeter fought back to take a commanding 27-8 half-time lead through Kai Horstmann’s charge-down score, a penalty try and a try for Stuart Townsend.
Tigers rallied at the start of the second period with a smart try from Maxime Mermoz. But Exeter claimed the try bonus and secured their victory with a fourth of the game, scored from close range by Mitch Lees.
Tom Youngs and Tom Croft returned to the forward pack for the meeting of fifth and second in the Aviva Premiership. Youngs lined up alongside Greg Bateman and Michele Rizzo, who played for Italy against England last weekend. Croft was named in a back row that included Brendon O’Connor and Luke Hamilton.
Matt Smith returned to the backline alongside Mermoz, with Peter Betham moving to the bench. Jono Kitto started at scrum-half with Owen Williams at fly-half.
Tigers flew out of the blocks to take the game to Exeter in the opening stages. Williams’s high kick was not dealt with by Phil Dolman and JP Pietersen kicked towards the Exeter line. Olly Woodburn was alert to the danger and hacked into touch with Pietersen in pursuit.
Tigers secured the lineout and while the maul was pulled down they maintained pressure and Rizzo drove over from close range for his first try of the season. Unconverted, it gave Tigers a 5-0 lead after five minutes.
Rizzo was pinged for playing scrum-half Stuart Townsend at a ruck but Henry Slade miscued his kick from halfway, the ball landing wide and short.
It was temporary reprieve and Exeter took the lead with their first try. Kai Horstmann charged down Williams’s clearance and the ball bounced kindly on the Leicester line for the flanker to score under the posts. Slade converted to put Exeter 7-5 ahead.
Tigers responded by putting together almost 30 phases in the Exeter half. They met stern resistance from the visitors but were rewarded with a penalty as Mitch Lees failed to release and Williams landed a simple penalty to put Tigers 8-7 ahead.
Again the lead was short-lived. Tigers were pinged on their 22 at the restart and Slade landed his kick to give Exeter a 10-8 lead.
Short, Thomas Waldrom and Dollman combined to punch a hole in the Leicester midfield. The ball was worked to the left where Ian Whitten’s kick beat Woodburn into touch 5m from the Leicester line.
Exeter maintained the pressure through consecutive lineout penalties on the Leicester line. And when Tigers pulled down the second drive referee Matthew Carley awarded Exeter a penalty try. Youngs received a yellow card and Slade converted to put Exeter 17-8 ahead.
The visitors made their man advantage count with a third try right at the end of the sin-bin period. Geoff Parling found himself in space on the right where he was hauled down just short of the line but Townsend followed up to dive over Croft’s tackle to score. Slade added the touchline conversion to give the Chiefs a 24-8 lead.
Slade extended the Exeter lead by another three points with the final kick of the half, punishing a ruck offence with a simple penalty to send the visitors in at the break 27-8 ahead.
Tigers sent on Ellis Genge at the start of the half, and Sam Harrison and Mike Williams shortly after the restart.
Tigers had to score first in the second period and they did just that, six minutes after the restart. Mermoz stepped off his left foot, through a gap in the Exeter defence and managed to ride Woodburn’s tap tackle to score next to the posts. Williams converted to cut the deficit to 27-15.
A knock-on by Woodburn as he tried to scoop up Williams’s kick gave Tigers field position 6m from the Exeter line. Tigers were awarded a penalty at the scrum and successive lineout penalties, but no card was forthcoming.
Instead, Owen Williams’s cross-field kick picked out Thompstone, who touched down at the back of the in-goal area but the TMO ruled he had run out of pitch.
Play came back for the penalty and when Exeter infringed a third time at the lineout Parling was finally shown a yellow card.
Harrison took a whack on the knee at a ruck and had to come off. It forced Tigers into a rejig with Peter Betham replacing Harrison and Freddie Burns going to scrum-half.
Exeter took advantage at the first scrum to win possession against the head 10m from the Leicester line. And they made the position pay by driving Lees over for the bonus-point fourth try. Slade converted to give Chiefs a 34-15 lead.
Good defence by Thompstone and Veainu forced Short into a knock-on just short of the line, as Exeter looked to extend their lead.
Tigers had the chance to score consolation points with two late penalty lineouts. However, Mike Williams knocked-on as he charged onto a pass at the first before another handling error conceded possession at the next lineout as Tigers ended the game empty-handed.
