Exeter Chiefs might have just got one over local rivals Gloucester Rugby in their own back yard, but head coach Rob Baxter insists there is plenty more to come from his side this Aviva Premiership season.
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Baxter took his troops to Kingsholm looking for a response after going down 21-9 to Leicester Tigers at home last time out.
And that is exactly what he got as tries from Ben White and captain Dean Mumm – the latter’s third of the season – and 19 points from the boot of full-back Gareth Steenson led them to a 29-12 victory.
But despite securing a hard-fought win at the home of one of their rivals Baxter admits it was far from the perfect performance, pinpointing Jonny May’s try soon after Mumm had all-but wrapped the game up as something the Chiefs need to work on preventing moving forward.
“It was a really good performance and I was very pleased with our defence and I think that is the best we have defended all season,” Baxter said.
“I am a little bit disappointed that we conceded 12 points because the second try we did concede I thought was a little bit soft.
“After we had scored what should have been a match-winning I think the team all felt that and subsequently were conceded a soft try which is disappointing.
“But great credit to the players because whenever the pressure is on you have to look to them because they are the ones to drag you through ad that is what they did.”
The surprise winners of round five were arguably London Irish, as they got the better of 2012 Aviva Premiership champions Harlequins 18-13 at the Madejski Stadium.
Two quick-fire second-half tries from Blair Cowan and Alex Lewington did the damage, cancelling out a Danny Care score in reply for the visitors.
And London Irish director of rugby Brian Smith insisted that it was pure guts and determination that had made the difference.
“I just thought it was a really courageous effort. We lost Kieran Low in the first three minutes and we were going up against a team that was going to throw the kitchen sink at us,” he said.
“I thought we managed ourselves pretty well. It was by no means a perfect performance, we got ourselves in a mess a couple of times when they went down our 22 and we could have probably cleared the pressure a little bit more easily.
“You don’t beat Quins by surprise or by accident so I think the squad deserves it from a lot of effort, a lot of courage and a lot of fighting spirit.”
In a repeat of last season’s Aviva Premiership final Northampton Saints travelled to Welford Road to try and enact some revenge on arch rivals Leicester Tigers.
And they looked like doing that as Alex Corbisiero’s first try for the club and the boot of Stephen Myler had Saints leading going into the final five minutes.
However Ed Slater crossed for a try for the hosts and Toby Flood held his nerve with the conversion to secure a 19-19 draw.
Northampton Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder said: “I think when you’ve been in front and played a lot of rugby and had your chances to win it, it’s frustrating.
“But we’ll look back and we’ve come away to Welford Road and picked up two points and it’s not the end of the world.”
Elsewhere on Saturday, Saracens made it five wins from five Aviva Premiership games this term as they got the better of London Wasps 19-12 at Allianz Park.
And Newcastle Falcons recorded their second win of the campaign as they won at Worcester Warriors 16-11 courtesy of Mike Blair’s first-ever Aviva Premiership try.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Danny Cipriani was once again the star of the show as Sale Sharks beat Bath Rugby 19-13, the fly-half’s performance earning high praise from his director of rugby Steve Diamond.
“What Danny is doing this season is being consistent – he is defending and he is playing the game we want him to play and putting the ball behind them,” Diamond said.
“We worked hard all week after Northampton, we got beat by a really good side but got a lot of positives out of that game and I think the real advantage was in the breakdown.”
RESULTS
FRIDAY
Sale Sharks 19/13 Bath Rugby
Sale Sharks – Tries: Forsyth Conversions: Cipriani; Penalties: Cipriani 3; Drop goals: Cipriani
Bath Rugby – Tries: Rokoduguni; Conversions: Ford; Penalties: Ford (2)
Attendance: 5,500; Referee: Andrew Small
SATURDAY
London Irish 18/13 Harlequins
London Irish – Tries: Cowan, Lewington; Conversions: Geraghty; Penalties: Geraghty 2
Harlequins – Tries: Care Conversions: Evans Penalties: Evans 2
Attendance: 8,832; Referee: David Rose
Saracens 19/12 London Wasps
Saracens – Tries: Fraser; Conversions: Farrell; Penalties: Goode, Farrell 3
London Wasps – Tries: Bell 2; Conversions: Goode
Attendance: 9,642; Referee: Luke Pearce
Worcester Warriors 11/16 Newcastle Falcons
Worcester Warriors – Tries: Lemi; Penalties: Mieres 2
Newcastle Falcons – Tries: Blair; Penalties: Clegg 2, Godman; Conversions: Clegg
Attendance: 7,100; Referee: Martin Fox
Leicester Tigers 19/19 Northampton Saints
Leicester Tigers – Tries: Slater; Conversions: Flood; Penalties: Flood 4
Northampton Saints – Tries: Corbisiero; Conversions: Myler; Penalties: Myler 4
Attendance: 24,000; Referee: JP Doyle
SUNDAY
Gloucester Rugby 12/29 Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester Rugby – Tries: M Thomas, May; Conversions: Burns
Exeter Chiefs – Tries: White, Mumm; Conversions: Steenson 2; Penalties: Steenson 5
Attendance: 14,582; Referee: Matt Carley