Exeter prop Patrick Schickerling scored a last-minute attempt to ship reigning champions Leicester to an opening-day defeat within the Gallagher Premiership.
In a vastly aggressive tussle a draw would have been a good consequence however Schickerling’s winner rewarded a robust final 20 minutes from Exeter, who picked up a morale-boosting 24-20 victory after final season’s disappointing seventh-placed end.
Solomone Kata was the opposite tryscorer for Chiefs. There was additionally a penalty attempt awarded, with Joe Simmonds kicking a penalty and two conversions.
Hanro Liebenberg and Charlie Clare scored Leicester’s tries, each of which Jimmy Gopperth transformed. Freddie Burns added two penalties.
Exeter took an early lead with a third-minute penalty from Simmonds however that was quickly nullified by one from Burns.
The two penalties have been the one scores of a forgettable first interval with each units of half-backs content material to launch kicks skywards at each alternative.
Neither aspect remotely threatened the attempt line till a kick from Leicester’s new recruit Gopperth was charged down by Harvey Skinner, who seemed to be successful the race to the touch down.
Burns raced again in an try to save lots of the day however, after diving, he solely succeeded in intentionally knocking the ball over the dead-ball line. A penalty attempt was awarded with Burns accumulating a yellow card.
Burns returned from the sin bin with no injury executed to the scoreboard however in his absence Tigers ought to have decreased the arrears. They gained a penalty 15 metres out and straight in entrance of the posts however Ben Youngs selected to take a fast faucet and the possibility was misplaced.
Leicester then had two extra scoring probabilities in fast succession. First, Gopperth missed with a drop-goal try earlier than Hosea Saumaki narrowly failed with a kick and chase however the dead-ball line foiled him.
Burns rewarded the guests’ strain with a second penalty however Chiefs prolonged their benefit when Kata raced over, with a conversion from Simmonds leaving his aspect with a 17-6 interval lead.
Leicester misplaced Burns at half-time to a head harm evaluation (HIA) with Phil Cokanasiga changing him and Gopperth switching to fly-half.
They regarded up in opposition to it however 10 minutes into the second half they have been gifted a attempt. Simmonds had loads of time to clear his traces however opted for a fragile chip, just for Dan Cole to cost it down with Liebenberg available to choose up the rebound and rating.
That was the precursor for Tigers to dominate the following 10 minutes. They turned down two kickable penalties in favour of attacking line-outs and have been rewarded when Clare crashed over.
Exeter instantly stormed again and alternative prop Schickerling was denied a attempt by a knock-on however they continued to pour strain on their opponents. Twice they have been held up over the road however they suffered a blow when Alec Hepburn was yellow-carded for a excessive sort out.
The choice essential however Hepburn returned simply in time to see Schickerling crash over for the winner.
Source: www.impartial.co.uk