Premiership: Exeter Chiefs stave off Harlequins fightback to clinch thrilling victory at Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs held off a superb fightback from Harlequins to retain their unbeaten status in the Premiership courtesy of a thrilling 43-42 victory at Sandy Park on Sunday.

In a fast-paced and entertaining encounter, Exeter raced into a 31-7 half-time lead before Quins fought back to take the lead twice during the second half before Christ Tshiunza scored a late try for the home side in the game’s dying moments.

Exeter had a nervy wait, however, as referee Ian Tempest first checked with TMO Dean Richards whether a pass from Stuart Hogg – in the build-up – went forward but there was nothing wrong with the offload and the try was awarded to the delight of the home crowd.

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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 full-back 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 per cent 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.

Quins’ onslaught continues

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.