Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Premiership: Saracens ease past Exeter 38-7 as top two field under-strength sides

Written by 
Published in Rugby
Saturday, 04 May 2019 09:00

Saracens beat Exeter 38-7 as the top two fielded under-strength sides.

Alex Lewington's try gave Sarries a 30th-minute lead as he fortuitously caught a kick that arched back in the strong wind and went over unchallenged.

Sarries got two tries within the first five minutes of the restart - Lewington with a second and Nick Tompkins going over after Nick Skelton's run.

Richard Capstick's try reduced the gap before Tom Whiteley's penalty and a Dom Morris double sealed the bonus point.

Exeter remain top of the table, but their hopes of breaking Saracens' record haul of 87 points set five years ago were dashed.

The Chiefs will end the season on top if they can win their final game of the season against play-off chasing Northampton, while Saracens face Harlequins - who are also eyeing up fourth place - on the final day.

Saracens made 11 changes ahead of next week's Champions Cup final while Exeter made 12 in what many believe will be a rehearsal for next month's Premiership final.

But while Saracens will have bragging rights, little can be drawn into an encounter which was often disjointed.

Exeter will be worried that they failed to impress for a second week, after staggering to victory over Harlequins seven days earlier as they made multiple handling errors and missed kicks to touch.

Lewington's second try took advantage of a defensive lapse before Tompkins went in after Skelton pulverised the Exeter line with a strong run which sent Gareth Steenson flying.

Exeter did have chances to get back into it, but Saracens' defence remained solid until Capstick finally breached it from close range to mark his first Premiership start with a try.

But Saracens kept control - Dom Morris scoring twice on his Premiership debut, the second a 75m run after intercepting Max Bodilly's pass.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall:

"We wanted some momentum as a club and there's a good buzz around the place at the moment.

"But they rested their best team and we rested our XV for next week, so this game was unimportant if we play again."

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter:

"We took some important things out of this. It has given us a view on some players and we've rested and hopefully cleared up a few niggles. But I'd have liked us to have performed better.

"There's always the psychological damage of a result like this, but there's also the reality of knowing that we have to be good and that tends to bring out the best out in us.

"We don't have to be the best Exeter Chiefs at the moment. We finished top last season and it didn't win us anything. Two years ago we finished second and we won the Premiership."

Saracens: Gallagher; Segun, Bosch, Tompkins, Lewington; Malins, Wigglesworth (capt); Barrington, Gray, Koch, Isiekwe, Skelton, Clark, Burger, Earl.

Replacements: Woolstencroft, Thompson-Stringer, Judge, Day, Reffell, Whiteley, Vunipola, Morris.

Exeter: Dollman; O'Flaherty, Bodilly, Whitten, Cuthbert; Steenson (capt), J Maunder; Moon, Cowan-Dickie, Francis, Atkins, Caulfield, Lonsdale, Capstick, Lawday.

Replacements: Taione, Keast, Street, Salmon, Kaufusi, S Maunder, Simmonds, Hendrickson.

Referee: Ian Tempest.

For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

Read 1342 times

Soccer

Forbes ranks MLS most valuable: LAFC tops Miami

Forbes ranks MLS most valuable: LAFC tops Miami

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLAFC fended off Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to retain their status a...

Rubiales fails in CAS appeal of three-year FIFA ban

Rubiales fails in CAS appeal of three-year FIFA ban

EmailPrintThe highest court in global sport dismissed an appeal by former Spanish football chief Lui...

UCL draw: Liverpool vs PSG; Madrid vs Atlético

UCL draw: Liverpool vs PSG; Madrid vs Atlético

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLiverpool have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champi...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

LeBron 'defies' age with another historic 40 in win

LeBron 'defies' age with another historic 40 in win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPORTLAND -- Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said his team didn't...

'Not as dominant': Embiid admits knee limiting him

'Not as dominant': Embiid admits knee limiting him

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPHILADELPHIA -- After the Philadelphia 76ers were routed on their h...

Baseball

'He thought of everything': How Mookie Betts' offseason could cement him at shortstop

'He thought of everything': How Mookie Betts' offseason could cement him at shortstop

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsGLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sometime around mid-August last year, Mookie Bet...

Changing stripes: Yanks OK well-groomed beards

Changing stripes: Yanks OK well-groomed beards

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsTAMPA, Fla. -- The New York Yankees' facial hair and grooming polic...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated