Exeter Chiefs snatch late win against Harlequins

MATCH REPORT: Exeter Chiefs recorded a second successive home win with the last play of the game to thwart Harlequins’ stunning second-half comeback.

Two weeks ago it was Patrick Schickerling who popped up with a late, late try to beat champions Leicester, and this time it was Wales international Christ Tshiunza as the Chiefs claimed a 43-42 victory.

The 20-year-old Welsh international powered his way over to seal a memorable victory for the Devonians, sparking scenes of delirium amongst the home faithful who have seen their side lead 31-7 at the turn, but then saw them implode during a staggering second-half fightback from the Londoners.

The success meant the Chiefs not only maintained their 100 percent record at the start of the new season but, more importantly, underlined the ’never-say-die attitude’ that now exists within this current crop of players.

The winning score didn’t come without controversy, Stuart Hogg’s pass to Patrick Schickerling in the build-up certainly came under scrutiny, but after numerous checks on the big screen, referee Ian Tempest stuck to his guns, awarding the match-winning score.

For the second time in weeks it was late drama at Sandy Park, but it mattered not to the majority inside the stadium, who had feared their side had shot themselves in the foot during the second period, where Harlequins hit them with 28 unanswered points.

Exeter picked up from where they had left off in their previous home game against Leicester and were in devastating mood in the opening quarter.

Former England prop Harry Williams got the first try after only four minutes, driving over from close range.

Seven minutes later, more good play from backs and forwards created the opportunity for scrum-half Stuart Townsend to snipe over, and in the 22nd minute Tshiunza outpaced two defenders down the left touchline and cut inside full-back Tyrone Green to run in behind the posts.

Joe Simmonds converted all four – to add to a seventh-minute penalty – and Chiefs led 24-0.

The only real sniff Quins had of a try came from the restart kick following Simmonds’ penalty, when Luke Northmore gathered the ball, raced towards the corner and got it down, but a superb tackle by England fullback Jack Nowell just forced the centre into touch.

The one area of concern for Exeter was their scrum, where Harlequins were collecting plenty of penalties, and the visitors eventually got a foothold in the game with a try in the left-hand corner by Cadan Murley, improved by England fly-half Marcus Smith.

Quins continued to look dangerous in the lead-up to the break but had the stuffing knocked out of them two minutes from half-time when young centre Lennox Anyanwu dropped the ball in midfield and Exeter fly-half Harvey Skinner picked it up and ran 40 metres to score in the corner for the bonus-point try.

Simmonds kicked another superb conversion to maintain his 100 percent record with the boot, and Exeter led 31-7 at the interval.

After the Chiefs had spent the opening few minutes of the second period camped in Quins’ 22, the expected second-half onslaught began from the comeback kings of English rugby.

They scored two tries in two minutes – Murley setting up Green for the first before Green returned the favour for Murley – and with Smith converting both, the gap was down to 10 points.

That became three points when Northmore showed great pace to race in from 50 metres, converted by Smith, and then he added another far too easily as he sliced through the Exeter defence after the game had gone to uncontested scrums following injuries to both of Quins’ hookers, and with Smith converting for a 35-31 lead, Sandy Park was stunned.

England prop Schickerling got the Chiefs back in front with a try, but Quins responded with a cross-field kick from Smith putting in Joe Marchant for a try to restore the Londoners’ advantage, only for Tshiunza to strike again at the death.

The scorers:

For Exeter Chiefs:
Tries: Williams, Townsend, Tshiunza 2, Skinner, Schickerling
Cons: Simmonds 4, Slade
Pens: Simmonds

For Harlequins:
Tries: Murley 2, Green, Northmore 2, Marchant
Cons: Smith 6

Source: PA Sports and Rugbypass