Seven-try Exeter crush Quins to keep play-off hopes alive

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's two tries took his tally to nine in the Premiership this season

Gallagher Premiership

Exeter: (21) 58

Tries: Slade, Feyi-Waboso 2, John, Skinner 2, Jenkins Cons: Slade 6, Skinner Pens: Slade 3

Harlequins: (21) 26

Tries: Smith, Green, Dombrandt, Lynagh Cons: Smith 3

Exeter kept their Premiership play-off hopes alive with an impressive 58-26 win over fellow top-four hopefuls Harlequins.

The two sides shared six tries as they went into the break level - Marcus Smith getting an impressive opener after two minutes while Dan John ended it with a thrilling Chiefs score.

Harvey Skinner put Exeter ahead early in the second half and two Henry Slade penalties while Jacques Vermeulen was in the sin bin put them 13 points up with 20 minutes to go.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Skinner and Dafydd Jenkins added tries in the final quarter for a morale-boosting victory for Rob Baxter's side.

Louis Lynagh scored a late consolation try for Quins to ensure what could be a crucial try-scoring bonus point.

The bonus-point win puts Exeter fifth on 50 points, two points off fourth-placed Sale who go to Saracens on the final day while Exeter face Leicester.

Quins drop to sixth, level on points with Exeter and host seventh-placed Bristol on the final day, with both sides knowing they must win and hope the Chiefs slip up if they are to have a chance of fourth place.

England's Henry Slade scored 26 points for Exeter in the win

Smith needed just two minutes to light up Sandy Park as he dummied and side-stepped his way through the home defence to score a superb opening try.

Exeter took control of the game after going behind, but it took 20 minutes for their pressure to tell as Slade went in after five phases on the Quins line following a tap penalty.

Tyrone Green took advantage of Jarrod Evans' delayed pass to restore Quins' lead 13 minutes before the break having seen Lynagh drop the ball in a good position just before.

But Exeter hit back again as Feyi-Waboso snaffled a poor pass from England team-mate Smith to go in, only to see Alex Dombrandt power over for a third Quins try four minutes later off the back of a line-out maul.

But in first-half stoppage time Greg Fisilau shrugged off a big tackle and broke along with Tom Cairns and Jenkins before the ball was fed out to the wide open John on the left who scored a try for a second successive game.

Skinner went in from close range two minutes after the restart to give Exeter the lead for the first time and ensuring a crucial bonus point.

Seven minutes later Vermeulen was sin-binned for a ruck infringement as Quins bore down on the Exeter line, but Slade's two penalties meant the hosts stretched their lead despite being short-handed.

Another Slade penalty further extended Exeter's advantage as the hosts stepped on the gas - Feyi-Waboso ended a good flowing move for his second try with 15 minutes left, Skinner crept in from close range seven minutes later and Wales skipper Jenkins finished off Exeter's scoring from a couple of metres out.

But in the final moments came what could be a crucial try in the scheme of the season - Lynagh went over in the right corner from a Smith pass to get a bonus point and ensure Quins stay level with the Chiefs going into an enthralling final round of fixtures next Saturday.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter told BBC Radio Devon:

“I think for excitement levels, because of what's potentially hanging on it, it’s just incredible.

“Knowing we needed a four-point spread to move us above Quins, and that would leave us in a position where we’re in our control of our destiny over Quins at least next week, was really important.

“I'm just delighted, the whole week’s going to be exciting - I’m already excited now about getting back to training.

“I thought we coped with things particularly well after half-time - the score at half-time for us was very important, but we did also talk about if we wanted any benefit from the fatigue level of Harlequins having to come back from Toulouse on Sunday, it wouldn’t happen in the first half, it would happen second half.

“But it would only happen if we went after it real hard in the second half, and we went after it hard and we scored early second half, and I think that, in a lot of ways, was the key fundamental of the game.”

Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson told TNT Sports:

"It's a second-half performance that is not us, it's a bit of a collapse if we're honest.

"21-all at half-time, very much in the game and we've let them in quite soft at the end there.

"They were outstanding second half, no doubt about that, but on top of that I think we were pretty soft in defence and obviously it's cost us.

"I think discipline was an issue, we gave a lot of defensive breakdown penalties away and offsides away, which gave them a lot of entries and a lot of opportunities.

"But we scored the fourth try, which could be vital, could be really important and the character we showed to do that was pleasing."

Exeter: John; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Hawkins, Woodburn; Skinner, Cairns; Sio, Yeandle, Street, Dunne, Jenkins (capt), Roots, Vermeulen, Fisilau.

Replacements: Norey, Keast, Painter, Tshiunza, Vintcent, Armstrong, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush.

Yellow card: Vermeulen 49

Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Beard, Northmore, Murley; Smith, Porter; Marler, Walker, Collier, Herbs, Lewies (capt), Cunningham-South, Chisholm, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Riley, Baxter, Lewis, Hammond, Kenningham, W Evans, Care, J Evans.

Referee: Matthew Carley.