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Gritty Chiefs end Sarries' home Premiership run

Ian Whitten scores for Exeter Chiefs

Leaders Exeter Chiefs ended Saracens’ unbeaten 19-match home Premiership run by grinding out a 20-18 victory in a keenly contested top-of-the-table clash.

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Having lost to Gloucester last time out and been beaten by the Chiefs in last season’s semi-final, Sarries were keen to make a statement at Allianz Park – where they had not lost in the league since March 2016 – against the defending champions.

And the hosts made a great start when Alex Goode responded to Gareth Steenson’s early penalty by diving over after seven minutes, before Schalk Brits dotted down while Nic White was in the sin-bin.

However, another Steenson penalty kept the Chiefs within striking distance and Ian Whitten broke the hosts’ defensive line five minutes after the interval to further reduce the arrears.

A monster penalty from Marcelo Bosch stretched the home side’s lead, but Moray Low touched down at the end of some brilliant work from Exeter’s forwards and Steenson added what proved to be the winning extras.

In Sunday’s other fixture, Wasps survived a huge scare to win 17-13 at bottom club London Irish.

Irish led 10-0 thanks to Alex Lewington’s score and the boot of Tommy Bell.

But tries from Ashley Johnson, Josh Bassett and Nizaam Carr helped Wasps to a narrow comeback win.

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SK 50 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

The way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.

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