Aviva Premiership round-up: Ben White double helps to put Exeter fifth

Win for Chief shows the enlarging gulf between the top and bottom

Ben White celebrates after scoring for the Exeter Chiefs (GETTY IMAGES)

The gulf between top and bottom in the Aviva Premiership was plainly advertised at Sandy Park as Exeter Chiefs ran in six tries in overwhelming tryless Worcester Warriors 40-6.

The flanker Ben White and captain Dean Mumm scored converted tries in the opening 10 minutes to leave the bottom side chasing the game. They never looked like catching up with it.

Two penalties from the fly-half Ignacio Mieres were all the managed in the first half, and the Chiefs’ showed their strength and power to turn 14-6 into a rout after the interval, with a second try from White plus one each from the full back Phil Dollman, the lock Damian Welch and the replacement scrum half Haydn Thomas. Gareth Steenson took his tally to four conversions and his replacement Henry Slade one in the 40-6 victory.

Exeter, playing in to a stiff wind in the first half, were awarded a series of penalties in the opening five minutes which resulted in White going over. After Mieres’ first penalty Dollman linked-up with Steenson to put lock Mumm away on a 40-metre run to score under the posts.

Warriors managed to build up pressure but after a deluge of penalties, which led the referee JP Doyle to lecture both captains, Mieres finaly kicked one.

The Chiefs pulled themselves together after the interval, and they exerted considerable pressure on the Worcester line until White charged down a clearance kick by the scrum half Jonny Arr and followed up to claim his second try of the game.

The blindside flanker Tom Johnson, who had been released from the England training squad in midweek broke from inside his own half to put Dollman away down the right touchline for the Chiefs’ bonus point try.

After Steenson converted from out wide, the Chiefs continued to dominate the play. In the final 10 minutes with Kai Horstmann, playing against his former club, gave an overhead pass to the lock Damian Welch in the left corner for their fifth try.

Slade was unable to convert but he then put Thomas away for the Chiefs sixth try under the posts. Slade added the extras.

At London Wasps today, Leicester Tigers welcome back their director of rugby Richard Cockerill, who returns to matchday duties at the end of his nine-game ban. Marcos Ayerza returns from international duty and there will be first starts for Owen Williams, at fly-half, and Terrence Hepetema.