A poor first half meant Leicester Tigers had an unassailable task in the second 40 minutes. A spirited fightback wasn’t enough to claim any points from Exeter but will have restored a semblance of pride ahead of a return to Mattioli Woods Welford Road one week today.
It’s a chilly afternoon on the South Coast as we begin proceedings at Sandy Park.
Sarah Nicholas gets it underway and both sides struggle initially to keep the ball, successive knock ons meaning three scrums in the opening five minutes.
Tigers, with both props making their first ever Premiership starts, hold firm in all three, actively driving their opponents back against the head on the second scrum.
This scrappy play continues and it gifts the hosts the opening score; an overthrow at the line out allows Exeter to clear long where a misplaced pass is picked off and giving No. 8 Emily Robinson the opportunity to drive over from short range.
Tigers do well to claim the ball back from the restart but phases again break down after a knock on.
From here, Chiefs are ruthless; they win a penalty off the first phase and play rapidly, finding space on the left flank before going back inside to scrum half Flo Robinson to run over unopposed.
Jordan Russell does well to track back and stop a potential third, dragging wing Eilidh Sinclair into touch before Evie Wills makes a crunching tackle on a charging Nancy McGillivray.
However, the hosts stay patient and eventually score their third through charging flanker Maisy Allen.
You’ve got to give Tigers credit for fighting but Chiefs are just picking them off; a handful of minutes after their third they get their fourth, a flat pass from Evie Wills picked out of the air and ran home by McGillivray.
Five minutes later, their fifth. Tigers clear their lines but Chiefs come right back, sidestepping through and touching down through fly half Liv McGoverne. Another five minutes and the sixth, flanker Ebony Jefferies burrowing over after Elin Beaver had done tremendously well with successive tackles to stop the initial break.
A difficult first half, to say the least, comes to a close.
Half time score: Exeter Chiefs 40 – 0 Leicester Tigers
The second half starts in a similarly scrappy fashion, knock ons from both sides meaning early scrums.
Celia Quansah, on at halftime, bursts into the game with a formidable carry that sees her crash through two tackles and make thirty metres before being dragged down.
Charlotte Fray, also on at the break, finds fresh air twice in as many minutes but both times the play is halted due to a knock on in the buildup.
The scrum, the sole highlight across the entire match thus far does brilliantly to brutalise Chiefs on their own put in and win a penalty that’s kicked to the hosts 22.
Tigers play the phases but eventually the ball is stripped away. Exeter work their way upfield but Jordan Russell is straight over the ball and wins a turnover.
Finally, Tigers are starting to look like themselves.
Amy Relf, on for Maxwell, provides rapid ball from the base as Fray, Childs, Wills, Swartz and Sophie Benavent (on for her Tigers debut) all carry hard into contact and win a penalty.
This is claimed well in the air by Richardson and the early ball sees Childs crash over the gainline. Advantage is called and Nicholas looks for Beaver on a crossfield kick but it just evades the wing, play returning.
Tigers are thundering away with Chiefs defending right on their line but nothing is going right for the visitors and a knock on gives the hosts a chance to clear.
Tigers tenaciously win the ball back though and come again, continuing to dominate possession in this second half.
Wave after wave of white shirts crash against the defence line but Chiefs are steadfastly holding the line. Finally, the breakthrough is made as Charlotte Fray bursts through a gap (and flailing arms) and offloads out the cover tackle to a nearby Evie Wills, who makes it three tries in three matches.
Chiefs come back into the match in the final ten minutes and score two tries in quick succession, both driving scores from short range.
Tigers again come back though and bare their teeth in search of a final score.
Hard running from Benavent is complimented by drives from Zainab Alema and Nikki Simpson before Charlotte Fray again breaks the tackle and offloads out the back to an onrushing Jordan Russell, the flanker still having the gas to finish after a full 80 minutes.
The final whistle goes and Tigers must turn their attention to Harlequins next Sunday, the first home match of the 24/25 Premiership campaign.
