Premiership: Exeter 43-0 Sale: Chiefs impress in bonus-point shutout of Sharks

Greg Fisilau scored for the second time in three Premiership matches

Exeter registered a second impressive home victory in the Premiership as they crushed Sale at a sodden Sandy Park.

Early close-range tries for Greg Fisilau and Dan Frost put Exeter in control early on.

Scores from Josh Iosefa-Scott and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso secured a bonus point before the break.

Exeter's Wales centre Joe Hawkins came on for his Premiership debut after the break before a Niall Armstrong score and a penalty try rounded off the win.

Exeter moved up to second in the Premiership and a point behind leaders Bath, who gained a losing bonus point from their 25-24 home defeat by Leicester.

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Having scored early against Saracens a fortnight ago Exeter got another try inside the opening two minutes - Gus Warr's clearance went out on the full and from the resulting line-out Frost gained field position before Fisilau went in from close range.

Henry Slade put a penalty over soon after before Frost went over from a maul after another close-range line-out to put the Chiefs 17-0 up midway through the first half.

Sale had chances to get back into it - Rouban Birch was held up over the line while former Exeter winger Tom O'Flaherty knocked the ball on as he tried to ground it after a Fisilau fumble on his own line.

Three minutes from the break it was another Exeter try from inches out from a line-out maul as Iosefa-Scott went in. Not long after Slade intercepted a loose pass and set free Feyi-Waboso, who went in under the posts from 35 metres.

Both sides cancelled one another out for much of the second period before Slade and Hawkins combined to begin a move which ended with Armstrong going over for his first Premiership try.

In the final moments Exeter's pack forced a penalty try to put the gloss on the win.

Exeter forwards coach Rob Hunter told BBC Radio Devon:

"We're over the moon. Sale are a very tough, physical side, especially in those conditions.

"I think we rolled up our sleeves and really went at the game in a different way to how we did two weeks ago against Saracens.

"The conditions meant it was a very different game, but we couldn't be happier with that performance."

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson:

"We just weren't at the races and there is going to have to be some deep introspection, and no doubt some technical fault correction, but first off it is around mentality and how we got it so wrong as coaches.

"We were outclassed, outworked and outmuscled in every area, and that's credit to Exeter.

"The coaches have done a great job over the summer with the young group, and if they can continue this and build experience, they are going to be a force to be reckoned with."

Exeter: Wyatt; Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade (capt), Hendrickson, Hammersley; Skinner, Cairns; Abuladze, Frost, Iosefa-Scott, Tuima, Pearson, Roots, Vermeulen, Fisilau.

Replacements: Yeandle, Sio, Painter, Jenkins, Tshiunza, Armstrong, Haydon-Wood, Hawkins.

Sale: O'Flaherty; Roebuck, James, Bedlow, Reed; R du Preez (capt), Warr; Harrison, Langdon, Schonert, Wiese, Hill, Birch, Van Rhyn, D du Preez.  

Replacements: Thompson, McIntyre, Harper, Beaumont, Bamber, Thomas, Curtis, Ellis.  

Referee: Joe James