Joe Simmonds’ early flurry kickstarts Exeter’s win over depleted Saracens

It has been a wintry week in the south-west but here was something to warm local hearts. As well as securing a home-and-away double over Saracens in the Premiership this season, Exeter sit seven points clear at the top of the table, a home play-off semi-final increasingly within their reach.

This was also an encouraging outcome for Eddie Jones, with Sam Simmonds and Henry Slade returning from injury layoffs before England’s Six Nations trip to France on Saturday. It proved an excellent day for the Simmonds family all round, with 12 points from the boot of the 21-year-old Exeter fly‑half Joe helping to swing a hard-fought contest.

Victory was a fitting reward for the snow-clearing efforts of dozens of staff – from the chairman, Tony Rowe, downwards – the kick-off having been postponed for 24 hours to ensure the pitch was playable. Considering the recent weather the surface was in remarkably good nick; so, when it mattered most, were Exeter. With five regular-season games left, their director of rugby, Rob Baxter, acknowledged that securing top spot is now “in our hands”.

If they have been helped somewhat by facing Saracens twice during international windows, there was no doubting the strength of Exeter’s second-half display against the wind, nor the turbo boost supplied by their bench. Sam Simmonds did not remotely look like a man who has been sidelined since injuring a shoulder against Wales last month, while Slade is once again displaying the kind of class England’s midfield has been crying out for.



Source: theguardian

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