Premiership: London Irish 17-14 Exeter Chiefs - Exiles hang on to seal fifth spot

A brace of tries from Juan Martin Gonzalez sealed an Irish victory

London Irish avenged their Premiership Cup final defeat by beating Exeter 17-14 to seal a fifth-place finish.

Jacques Vermeulen's score put Exeter in front before Juan Martin Gonzalez levelled things up before half-time.

Tom Pearson went over to put the Exiles ahead, but Tom Hendrickson punished an Irish error to score and Henry Slade's conversion nudged Exeter in front.

But Martin Gonzalez's scrappy second score ended a difficult week on a high note for Irish.

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Having seen their play-off hopes ended in defeat by Saracens in their penultimate game, Irish's final match looked in doubt until their players were paid late on Thursday.

With a takeover adding to distractions off the pitch, the Irish players sealed an excellent campaign with a ninth win in 12 matches to give the club its highest league finish since the 2008-09 season when they reached the Premiership final.

For Exeter, the final whistle brought an eighth successive away league defeat and a seventh-placed finish.

It also marked the end of an era, with the expected departure of much of the squad that drove the Chiefs to six Premiership finals, two domestic titles and a European crown in a double-winning 2019-20 season.

However, it was largely Exeter's next generation that took to the pitch for the season finale and they struck first when Vermeulen ran a good supporting line after Ollie Devoto's break and forced his way over.

They pressed for a second score, with Josh Iosefa-Scott going close after back-to-back penalties near the Exiles line.

However, moments later, Chiefs were pegged back when Gonzalez slipped through tackles to power over as a tight first half ended level.

Tom Pearson went over after a rolling maul drive to nudge Irish in front after 23 scoreless second-half minutes.

Yet the lead lasted only four minutes as Tom Wyatt pounced on an Irish error to feed Hendrickson who ran half the length of the pitch to score.

Henry Slade's conversion edged the visitors back in front at 14-12 with 14 minutes left.

But a fairy-tale finish was snuffed out with eight minutes remaining when Pearson picked up the loose ball and broke away before sending Gonzalez over for the winning score.

London Irish director of rugby Declan Kidney told BBC Radio London:

"It's a privilege to be part of the wheel that is the club and I'm delighted for everyone involved that they've got some return because it's been a while since they got some return.

"Fifth place would be seen by some clubs as one thing. For us, it's an absolute success on our journey and we've managed to beat a good side.

"They came here to play and we had to deal with a lot of things when you consider we only had one game in the last six weeks, so we were definitely rusty and there's an awful lot of things we could do better.

[On a potential takeover]: "It would be a good purchase wouldn't it? But that's for others to work their way through and give them space to do that."

Exeter head coach Ali Hepher told BBC Radio Devon:

"It feels like a win to be honest. It's been really exciting to work with them all week and I don't think I've enjoyed a game as much for a long time.

"I thought it was outstanding what they put into the game. There's little bits to round up, but for endeavour and attitude on the field it was right up there.

"I'm looking forward already to day one of preseason and working with these guys because they've got a hunger and attitude to go places.

"We were largely on the front foot and controlled a lot of the game. We weren't maybe as clinical as we would like but the foundations are all there."

London Irish: Arundell, Loader, Janse van Rensburg, Jennings, Cinti, Jackson, White, Fischetti, Creevy, Hoskins, Ratuniyarawa, Simmons, Rogerson (c), Gonzalez, Fa'aso'o.

Replacements: Willemse, Haffar, Chawatama, Caulfield, Pearson, Cunningham-South, Powell, Stokes.

Exeter: Hodge, Feyi-Waboso, Slade (c), Devoto, Wyatt, Skinner, Townsend, Hepburn, Innard, Iosefa-Scott, Kirsten, Dunne, Vermeulen, Tshiunza, Fisilau.

Replacements: Harris, Keast, Street, Williams, Davis, Cairns, Hendrickson, John.

Referee: Luke Pearce.

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