Exeter Chiefs Grab Vital Bonus Point
Exeter Chiefs grabbed a late bonus point from the second game of the Premiership Rugby season despite suffering a narrow loss to defending champions Northampton.
The Vertu Motors-backed side had endured a difficult start to the season with a loss at home to Leicester a week earlier, and fell behind after nine minutes at Franklin’s Gardens when Alex Coles drove through for the opening try.
Fin Smith kicked the extra points for the conversion before adding two penalties to give his side a 13-0 lead, although the Chiefs were able to reduce the deficit before the break when Olly Woodburn grounded the ball beneath the sticks and Josh Hodge kicked the conversion.
Hodge then kicked a fine penalty from distance shortly after half-time to reduce the gap between the two teams to just three points only for quick tries from Chunya Munga and Rory Hutchinson – both of which were converted – extending the advantage for the home side.
A drop goal from Smith just before the hour mark allowed Northampton to strengthen their hold on the game but Exeter refused to give up and scored twice in the final 15 minutes to narrow the deficit and pick up a bonus point.
First, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso went over with twelve minutes remaining with Hodge converting, before the England international scored his second try four minutes from time just after Northampton had lost Hutchinson to the bin.
It was too late however for Exeter to grab the win, with the game ending in a narrow 30-24 defeat.