Shields picks up heavy head knock as Wasps downed by Exeter

Wasps’ medical room piled up once again in their 42-31 Premiership defeat to Exeter at the Ricoh with second-half injuries to Brad Shields and Nathan Hughes.

They recently lost Jimmy Gopperth to an ACL injury, which has ruled the versatile back out for 6-9 months.

Shields’ debut lasted just 45 minutes when he took a heavy head knock in a clash of heads with Stuart Townsend.

The former Hurricanes player was on the turf for a number of minutes before being withdrawn to be replaced by Ashley Johnson.

Brad Shields going off – looks like he has re-opened the cut he had on his right eyebrow after a knock in training that required five stitches #Wasps #Exeter #PremRugby #rugby pic.twitter.com/n2fI7iGtHl

— Will Kelleher (@willgkelleher) September 8, 2018

Nathan Hughes, who’d scored his first try for two and a half years in the first half, also went off in the second with a leg injury.

Wasps had led 24-21 at half-time thanks to tries from Elliot Daly, Josh Bassett and Hughes, along with a penalty from the impressive Billy Searle. Exeter’s first-half scores came from Santiago Cardero, Sam Simmonds and Henry Slade.

Exeter’s victory came courtesy of three second-half tries, from Simmonds (44th),  an impressive intercept and 70-metre run-in by Henry Slade in the 48th minute, with Don Armand wrapping up the victory by rumbling over with the last play of the game.

Vision ?
Hands ?
After-burners ?

Henry Slade gives Chiefs some daylight at the Ricoh. pic.twitter.com/Fu8eytybK5

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 8, 2018

Armand’s late try denied Wasps a losing bonus point. Lima Sopoaga also made his Premiership debut, but he failed to make much an impact after coming off the bench in the 54th minute, slotting over a single conversion from Dan Robson’s try.

Exeter moved top of the Premiership table having secured bonus point wins in each of their two games so far, scoring 12 tries in the process.

You may also like: Beyond 80 – ‘Knocked’. RugbyPass looks at concussion in the game