Saracens 24-30 Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter’s reborn side at No.1 this Christmas

By Mark Stevens

Saracens …………………….. 24pts

Tries: Caluori 7, 56; Malins 12, Penalty 45 Conversion: Farrell 7

Exeter Chiefs ……………….30pts

Tries: Varney 36, Fisilau 64, 69; Slade 80

Conversions: Slade 37, 70

Penalties: Slade 4, 32

This time last year, Exeter Chiefs were marooned at the foot of the Gallagher Premiership, a proud club searching desperately for belief, direction and, above all, a win.

Fast forward a year and the transformation is stark.

The ghosts of Christmas past have been banished, confidence has returned and Exeter are once again shaping the conversation at the top end of the English game.

Their latest statement came in emphatic fashion – a hard-fought, but richly satisfying victory over old adversaries Saracens.

Heroes

For Rob Baxter and his squad, it marked the first of three searching Premiership examinations across the holiday period.

They could scarcely have asked for a more compelling opening chapter – securing only their third-ever win at the StoneX and underlining how far they have come.

Baxter, quite rightly, saluted his heroes, saying: “We’ve got a group of guys with fantastic spirit and we’re a team that never goes away.

“We’re delighted by today’s win and that’s a big compliment to Sarries because not many teams come here and win.

“They are very, very good at how they formulate to win games and they keep you under pressure.”

Speed merchant: Noah Caluori in action for Saracens
PICTURES: Getty Images

Match action

The Chiefs – who had not won in North London since 2017 – started brightly enough, taking the lead with a Henry Slade penalty.

The lead, however, proved short-lived, Sarries claiming the game’s opening try when Slade’s intended pass was picked off by Noah Caulori and the winger gleefully accepted the present to race in under the sticks.

Owen Farrell added the conversion, but was unable to add the extras to a second Saracens try, this time pocketed by Max Malins, who was able to steal down the left without an Exeter mitt being laid on him.

A yellow card for Tom Hooper hardly helped the visiting cause, but in the Australian’s absence, the Chiefs actually played their best rugby of the half.

Slade cut the deficit with a second penalty, before they stole in front when, following a high up-and-under from Harvey Skinner, debutant Campbell Ridl won the aerial duel with Caulori before offloading to Stephen Varney for the converted score.

Second half

However, Ridl’s next meaningful involvement was not so positive; the young winger slapping down an intended pass to Caulori.

His indiscretion not only saw him hit the sidelines for a ten-minute stint, but the hosts were awarded a penalty try to restore their lead.

Just as the Chiefs had done in the first half, Saracens made light of the numbers game to grab their bonus point score just before the hour, Caulori the beneficiary as he found his way over in the corner.

Not for the first time this season, the Devonians dug deep and Greg Fisilau hauled them back into contention, thrust over by his fellow forwards from a close-range lineout.

The No.8 then grabbed his second, this time rounding off a move that saw Dafydd Jenkins thunder down the left, before it was shipped back inside to the all-action forward to do the rest.

Slade’s conversion put his side in front by a point.

At the other end, Jamie George was held up from a lineout drive, while Farrell saw a lengthy penalty chance sail wide.

They proved pivotal moments, but none more than the last play of the game when Len Ikitau produced a thunderous tackle on Ben Earl to dislodge possession from the home side – and there was Slade to pick up the loose ball and race in from halfway to seal a memorable win.