Exeter player ratings: Another ‘talented’ back-rower in the England mix but ‘utter stupidity’ costs the Chiefs top spot
Greg Fisilau and Harvey Skinner in action for Exeter Chiefs.
Following a 24-10 victory over Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher PREM clash at Sandy Park on Sunday, here are the player ratings for Exeter Chiefs.
Backs
15 Olly Woodburn: The odd issue under the high ball but Woodburn was otherwise solid. There were also some nice touches in the wider channels which enabled Exeter to create plenty of chances. 6
14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso: Wasn’t involved too much with ball in hand but there were some perhaps unseen moments which helped his side significantly. It was Feyi-Waboso’s work off the ball which opened the space for Harvey Skinner’s disallowed try while he added his weight to the maul to turn Leicester over. The England wing did then make a surge with ball in hand, but his hands let him down, which was a common theme in the second period. 6
13 Henry Slade: Straightened the line to open the space for Campbell Ridl to break free for the wing’s try in one of a number of understated but classy moments which characterised his display. 7
12 Will Rigg: His utterly stupid push on Izaia Perese denied the Chiefs a third first half try and it proved costly with the Tigers almost immediately reducing the arrears. Before and after that, Rigg was excellent, but that moment made the game much closer than it needed to be and ultimately stopped them from going top of the table. 6
11 Campbell Ridl: A wonderful individual try highlighted the youngster’s talent. A rangy runner, Ridl sped down the left, chipped over the top and recollected to move his team 14-0 in front early on. 7
10 Harvey Skinner: Has had his critics over previous years with accusations that a lack of quality half-backs was holding the Chiefs back, but he has thrived this season. Skinner produced two wonderful breaks, but his control and decision-making was also exemplary. 9
9 Stephen Varney: The signing of Varney has also had something to do with Skinner’s resurgence and the scrum-half was once again very good for Exeter. His box-kicking was accurate while the service was slick. 7
Forwards
8 Greg Fisilau: Another hugely impressive performance from the talented number eight, who made some big carries and was altogether absolutely outstanding. Never stopped working and was ultimately critical to the win. Another player putting himself in the England back-row mix. 9
7 Ethan Roots: Made his presence felt early on but was slightly quieter after that as Leicester upped the physicality and competed much better, particularly in the second period, but there were some good charges late on that should have resulted in a late Exeter try. 7
6 Tom Hooper: Has enjoyed a good start to his Exeter career, but he was quieter on Sunday and was replaced on the hour mark. 6
5 Andrea Zambonin: Assisted Fisilau’s try which began an all-action display as he put excellent in the lineout and the loose. Another superb signing from the Chiefs which has elevated them from also-rans to title challengers. 8
4 Dafydd Jenkins (c): Solid but not as spectacular as he has been at times this season. Jenkins did his core jobs well but the captain played second-fiddle to his locking partner. 6
3 Bachuki Tchumbadze: Had the big task of anchoring Exeter’s pack but the big Georgian was very much up to the task. Got on the right side of the referee and earned several penalties at the set-piece. 7
2 Joseph Dweba: Was not renowned as the best lineout thrower when he joined Exeter, but Dweba has improved in that area. In a game where he wasn’t quite at his most impactful best in the loose, the fact that he was able to be accurate at the set-piece was a huge positive. 6
1 Scott Sio: Similar to his prop team-mate, Sio was going to be under pressure in the scrum, but the Australian stood up to it well and laid a solid platform for his team. 7
Replacements: Kane James brought some energy while the replacement front-row also worked hard, but Will Goodrick-Clarke will regret dropping the ball over the line to deny Exeter a bonus-point. Elsewhere, Rusi Tuima got himself a yellow card for poor tackle technique. 5
READ MORE: Bath player ratings: England star ‘atrocious’ while Lions hero ‘inexcusable’ in defence