Some solace for England, but Exeter remains winless and unsatisfied. The sight of Henry Slade demonstrating his fitness ahead of the Autumn Nations Series kickoff on Saturday provided a boost for national head coach, Steve Borthwick, but it only deepened the agony for the struggling Chiefs, who suffered their sixth consecutive league defeat—a club record. Slade, returning from shoulder surgery since mid-July, was active on both offense and defense, playing 54 minutes before being substituted. England is keen to include him in their lineup against New Zealand, and his chances of playing against the All Blacks have improved. Slade, 31, expressed his eagerness for the upcoming week, stating, “It’s an exciting week. I look forward to giving my best and hopefully being part of the team.” Exeter’s director of rugby, Rob Baxter, confirmed Slade had no post-match shoulder issues. “For someone who’s been out for so long, he looked pretty good,” Baxter noted. “He got some valuable game time and came off without injury. A bit rusty, but that’s expected.”
However, all is not well with Exeter, whose confidence is visibly shaken by their dismal start to the season. With a third of the campaign gone, they are yet to secure a win, and this match mirrored their current struggles. Baxter candidly admitted, “The truth is, we look a bit lost. We have a lot of work ahead. It’s not about soul-searching but about stepping up and taking responsibility.” After their disheartening loss in Newcastle, the Chiefs tried to shake things up by making several changes to their lineup. This defeat marks their fifth consecutive league loss in a single season since 2013-14, and it’s been a decade since Quins last won in Devon.
Defensively, the Chiefs were in disarray during the chaotic first half. Quins scored three tries within 25 minutes and could have easily scored more. The visitors exploited vast spaces, both wide and through the middle, and the subdued atmosphere around the ground spoke volumes. Slade and Olly Woodburn had to make crucial try-saving tackles before Oscar Beard scored for Quins. Following a quick response from Ross Vintcent, the Chiefs faced a nightmare scenario as Rodrigo Isgró powered past Woodburn to score, and Will Evans capitalized on another gaping hole in the Chiefs’ defense to score his first of two tries.
Despite missing their England players, Quins were creating numerous opportunities, and 25 missed Exeter tackles within the first half-hour heightened the local unease. Exeter finally applied pressure with ball in hand, and Will Rigg, who played for Coventry last season, made a powerful run to narrow the gap to five points at halftime. The home dressing room at halftime likely saw some blunt discussions, with defense coach Omar Mouneimne visibly animated. Exeter’s game relies on certain fundamentals, and 12 clean breaks by a supposedly weaker Quins side in the first 40 minutes highlighted their lack of cohesion.
Reminded of their duties, Exeter nearly scored through Paul Brown-Bampoe, and they were fortunate when a spectacular try by Tyrone Green was disallowed due to a forward pass by Quins’ captain Cadan Murley. Their luck changed when a low pass ricocheted off James Chisholm’s shin, confusing the Chiefs’ defense and allowing Evans to score his second try and secure a try bonus point. A penalty from Jarrod Evans extended the lead to 10 points, and with Woodburn limping off, a late try by Murley sealed a notable Quins victory.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
