He may not have made the trip up to Manchester tonight, but Wales and Northampton wing George North is still keeping an eye on things from afar...

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They're 17 minutes in at the AJ Bell Stadium, and we're still yet to see any points on the board.

It's certainly not for the want of trying, and Sale's Denny Solomona has come closest to providing some inspiration.

He chips a speculative kick down the wing, but the ball goes dead before he can do anything with it.

The home side edging things there so far.

And that's the final action of the first half.

It started so promisingly for Tigers, who were forcing errors and got an early try through Michele Rizzo.

However Exeter have slowly gained in confidence and wrestled the game away from the hosts, with a penalty try adding to scores from Kai Horstmann and Stu Townsend.

Exeter's Geoff Parling has been a thorn in his former side in this first half.

He steals the lineout and then forces Greg Bateman into conceding a penalty, which Henry Slade dispatches.

It took Exeter nine minutes and 30 seconds to make the most of their extra man, but better late than never.

The visitors go left, and then pass to the right, and Leicester simply don't have the manpower to cope.

Geoff Parling stops just short of the line but Stu Townsend, on his first Premiership start, barges his way over the line in the corner from close range.

A great kick from Henry Slade presses him Exeter's advantage, while Tom Youngs rejoins the action for the hosts.

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Youngs has served more than half of his time in the sin-bin, and his Leicester side have coped well so far.

Tigers have had some promising moments with ball in hand, but Exeter are wily and won't give up points easily.

Image source, Getty Images

We're off and running in the night's second Premiership match at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Sam James takes the first kick - we'll bring you updates throughout the 80 minutes.

The story of the game so far - Leicester have played patient rugby, while Exeter have got themselves up the pitch very quickly.

On this occasion the visitors make more than 90 yards in one phase and that famous Chiefs rolling maul does the damage again.

Tigers skipper Tom Youngs feels there is no alternative but to pull the maul down, and is yellow-carded for doing it.

Penalty try Exeter - their 10th in the Premiership this season, and Henry Slade kicks the extras.

Northampton make one change from their win over Worcester, with James Craig replacing lock Christian Day.  

Replacements:  Clare, Waller, Hill, Ratuniyarawa, Dickinson, Dickson, Estelles, Wilson.  

Sale centre Johnny Leota replaces Will Addison after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Jonathan Mills comes into the second row, while Cameron Neild replaces TJ Ioane at blindside flanker.

Replacements:  T Curry, Flynn, Longbottom, Nott, B Curry, Seymour, Stringer, Mugford, McGuigan.  

Anything Leicester can do...

Michele Rizzo is probably still over-excited about scoring his first Premiership try, and is penalised in the tackle.

Exeter's Henry Slade, who had a shaky start, regains his composure to kick the points, and the lead changes hands once more.

Just as I say how well Exeter have defended, they give away a silly penalty.

The visitors survived 25 phases before finally relenting, and Owen Williams dissects the posts to edge Tigers ahead.

I know it's still early days, but the hosts will be wondering how they're behind.

They've applied all the pressure and had most of the territory, but one lapse in concentration has cost them thus far.

They've been penned deep in the Exeter half for the past few minutes, and are yet to even get a penalty to show for their pressure.

This, boys and girls, is why you chase lost causes.

Leicester's Owen Williams is about to clear his lines, but Kai Horstmann pushes himself to close him down and blocks the kick.

He then has the simple task of grounding the ball - what a way to celebrate the new Exeter contract he signed this week.

Henry Slade kicks the simplest of conversions and the visitors lead.

Steve Johnson
Ex-Leicester flanker on BBC Radio Leicester

We saw from the outset that Leicester were up for this one. It's repetition of the previous three weeks where the forwards have come out, they're fired up, they're contesting the breakdown.

It's great to see the forwards contesting a driving maul, making something of it, getting the score and they've done just that.

Pick and go, pick and go.

Leicester show perseverance and get their reward as  Michele Rizzo stretches to touch down over the line.

The referee goes to the TMO to check there wasn't a double movement, but Rizzo has done nothing wrong. 

Owen Williams' conversion drifts well wide.