Saracens continue to dominate the Premiership, maintaining their perfect winning record with a convincing win over Exeter. Despite the absence of Maro Itoje due to injury, Saracens scored five tries, including two from Ben Earl, to hand the winless Chiefs their own unwanted 100% record. England coach Steve Borthwick was present to observe Earl and five other Saracens players who will be part of the squad he assembles on Monday for England's autumn campaign. Tom Willis also impressed, but it was perhaps one of Saracens' young talents who stood out the most.
Saracens saw several key players depart over the summer, but a new star may have emerged. Tobias Elliott, 21, scored one try and set up two more, bringing his tally to three in three matches. With an impressive age-grade CV, Mark McCall has been thrilled with Elliott's performances this season. Meanwhile, Exeter suffered their third consecutive defeat. They showed improvement in the second half, but Rob Baxter will be concerned about how easily Saracens built a significant lead in the first.
Exeter put up a strong defensive effort early on, maintaining their rivalry with Saracens after contesting three finals in four years. However, Saracens capitalized on the first genuine try-scoring opportunity. A penalty allowed Elliot Daly to kick to the corner, with Jamie George scoring from the ensuing lineout. Elliott then scored, slipping past two defenders and outpacing Exeter's Josh Hodge. Another catch and drive, finished by Earl, put Saracens in control. Exeter briefly threatened with a try from Hodge, but Fergus Burke's bonus point try before halftime sealed the game.
Exeter's struggles continued after the restart with Ben Hammersley receiving a yellow card for a high tackle. Earl scored his second try, with Elliott again providing the assist. As the game progressed, Exeter found some rhythm, helped by their scrum dominance, and scored another try through Hodge. However, it was too little, too late for the Chiefs, who now face a tough match against high-flying Bristol on Saturday.
