Sale Dominates Exeter, Extending Chiefs’ Club-Record Losing Streak

Jonny Hill scored a try against his former club in his inaugural Premiership start since returning from a 10-week suspension. Gallagher Premiership Match Details: Sale (Half-time: 14) Final Score: 28 Tries: James, Carpenter, Penalty, Hill Conversions: R du Preez 3 Exeter (Half-time: 3) Final Score: 10 Try: J Roots Conversion: Slade Penalty: Slade Sale ascended to fourth place in the Premiership standings, further intensifying the challenges for Exeter, who remain winless and occupy the bottom position. Luke James opened the scoring for Sale with a try midway through a fragmented first half, followed by Joe Carpenter’s second try for Sale, a run from inside his own half just before the break. Exeter conceded a penalty try ten minutes after the interval when captain Dafydd Jenkins was sent to the sin-bin for pulling down a maul from a line-out. Despite being reduced to 14 men, the Chiefs managed to score a try through Jimmy Roots. However, former Exeter player Jonny Hill then powered over from close range to secure a bonus point for Sale. This defeat marks Exeter’s eighth consecutive Premiership loss, a new club record, leaving them at the bottom of the table. Rob Baxter’s squad has only secured victories in their three Premiership Rugby Cup matches this season, having also suffered back-to-back European defeats earlier this month. Henry Slade’s early penalty gave Exeter an initial lead in difficult conditions in Greater Manchester. Nonetheless, the Sharks soon began to assert territorial dominance, achieving their 25th win in 27 home games. The hosts took the lead when Raffi Quirke’s break penetrated the Chiefs’ 22-meter area, allowing James to receive the ball in space and score. Exeter’s challenging season faced another setback six minutes before halftime when England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was forced off the field with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Slade missed a second penalty shortly thereafter, and a minute later, Carpenter raced in, the full-back collecting a loose ball and sprinting through a gap in Exeter’s defense. Rob du Preez missed penalty attempts on either side of halftime before Sale scored their third try, coinciding with visiting captain Jenkins, making his first start for Exeter this season after recovering from injury, receiving a yellow card. Roots scored from close range under the posts following Exeter’s most effective period of play, which occurred just after the hour mark. However, Exeter’s discipline at the breakdown once again proved detrimental. George Ford kicked a penalty to the corner, and 12 phases after the line-out, Hill powered in under the posts. Chiefs’ Jacques Vermeulen was subsequently yellow-carded for an offense committed during the build-up. Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson told TNT Sports: “I’m happy with the five points.”The lads are a little bit frustrated not capitalising on some of the territory in that first 20-30 minutes.”But I’ve told them just to enjoy the win, enjoy Christmas and we’ll come back to it for Bristol.” Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter told BBC Radio Devon: “You can’t fault the lads for the effort that’s going in on the field, they’re laying it on the line.”Can we be better in areas? Of course we can, but we’ve got to really try to get out of this discipline cycle. “It sounds quite a lot 28-10, but when you look where two of the scores came from where it went penalty, penalty, penalty, penalty and they score and we’re given a yellow card – and we do that twice.”If you remove those two you’re sitting there at 14-10 and going ‘this is a pretty tight, pressure game and we’re right in it.'”We’ve got to somehow break the cycle.” Sale Lineup: Carpenter; Roebuck, R du Preez, James, Reed; Ford, Quirke; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, van Rhyn, Hill, J-L du Preez, B Curry (capt), D du Preez. Replacements: McElroy, McIntyre, John, Bamber, Dugdale, Warr, Nayacalevu, O’Flaherty. Exeter Lineup: Wyatt; Feyi-Waboso, Hammersley, Tua, Woodburn; Slade, Townsend; Sio, Frost, Street, Jenkins (capt), Molina, E Roots, Vintcent, Fisilau. Replacements: Innard, Blose, J Roots, Capstick, Vermeulen, Becconsall, Haydon-Wood, Hodge. Yellow cards: Jenkins (50), Vermeulen (71) Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe