Exeter edge Wasps in Premiership Final to seal double
PREMIERSHIP FINAL REPORT: Exeter completed an English and European double as they beat Wasps 19-13 in a tense Premiership Final at a rainswept Twickenham on Saturday.
Victory saw Exeter become just the fourth English club to win both the Premiership and European titles in the same season following their thrilling 31-27 victory over France’s Racing 92 in last week’s Champions Cup Final in Bristol.
Exeter were 16-13 up with five minutes left when Wasps opted for an attacking line-out rather than try to kick an equalising penalty only for the Chiefs’ Scotland lock Jonny Gray to steal their ball.
Both Exeter and Wasps – without several first-choice players due to the coronavirus – scored a try apiece.
But a faultless kicking display by Exeter captain Joe Simmonds, who landed four penalties and a conversion, proved decisive.
Exeter led 13-10 at the break after England centre Henry Slade scored a fine solo try before Wasps hit back with one of their own through Jacob Umaga.
An attritional second half saw Exeter’s pack just do enough to give flyhalf Simmonds the chances he needed, including a penalty with the last kick of the game that sealed victory.
Exeter, only promoted to the Premiership 10 years ago, have now joined Leicester, Wasps and Saracens as English double winners.
The scorers:
For Exeter Chiefs:
Try: Slade
Con: J Simmonds
Pens: J Simmonds 4
For Wasps:
Try: Umaga
Con: Gopperth
Pens: Gopperth 2
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds (captain), 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Sam Skinner, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten.
Wasps: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Jack Willis, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (captain), 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Tom West.
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Biyi Alo, 19 James Gaskell, 20 Ben Morris, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Michael Le Bourgeois.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
