Chiefs paint the town red

Exeter Chiefs entertained the Sandy Park crowd as they scored nine tries in their Anglo-Welsh friendly against Scarlets at Sandy Park this afternoon.

Chiefs made certain everyone in the ground recognised they were here to play within the opening couple of minutes. Richard Capstick, having waited a long few months to be ready for his return from a neck injury, ran the ball directly into and through contact in the midfield as a statement of intent.

There were a couple of early injury worries for the visitors as Sam O’Connor left the field in the second minutes to be followed in the fifth minute by his captain Scott Williams – both players headed for the blood bin.

Rather fitting that captain of the day, Max Norey, was the first man across the whitewash. A scrum penalty allowed Chiefs to put the ball into the corner and the Exeter pack make quick work of surging their maul over for the score.

As the hour mark hit, Norey was in for his hattrick securing try. Pealing off the back of the driving maul in a couple of metres range of the line, the hooker nipped down the blindside for the try.

Fresh legs proved profitable for the Chiefs. Jacques Vermeulen bulldozed his way into contact and with a gap opening at ruck, Will Becconsall fed Lewis Pearson to canter into it and crash down at the left of the posts. With Hodge off the field, Jenkins took over kicking duties to secure the conversion.

The Chiefs replacements weren’t done for the day. Coming on to the field with the assured nature only a veteran could possess, Jack Yeandle stamped his name onto the scoresheet not just once, but twice before the day was over. Jenkins slotted the conversion for one and youngster Louie Sinclair, fresh from the bench, slotted the other.

And so, the day ended with the Chiefs breaching the 50 points marker and the crowd entertained by nine Chiefs tries alongside some lovely floating play from the Welsh visitors.

Full-time: Chiefs 57 – 19 Scarlets

For the full match report, click here.