Christ Tshiunza’s late try edges Exeter to thrilling victory over Harlequins

Another week, another crazily fluctuating Premiership contest. If Exeter thought their last-gasp win over Leicester on the season’s open day was dramatic it had nothing on this final act which saw the Chiefs’ Christ Tshiunza clinch a breathless victory for his 14-man side after a resurgent Quins had looked to have burgled an improbable win of their own.

The 20-year-old Tshiunza had already contributed one spectacular galloping try when, with just seconds left, the ball again found him wide on the left. The Welsh international lock still had much to do but sensationally skinned the cover to touch the ball down, only for the referee, Ian Tempest, to ask the television match official to check a pass way back upfield. Happily for the Chiefs, the footage of Stuart Hogg’s offload to Patrick Schickerling was eventually deemed to be “inconclusive” and the hosts duly stayed unbeaten, level with Bristol at the top of the table. Quins’ head coach, Tabai Matson, described the ruling as “frustrating” but his opposite number, Ali Hepher, insisted the officials had been spot on.

Had Exeter lost, mind you, the inquest would have been long and painful. At 31-7 up after 40 minutes there seemed no way they could possibly be overhauled, only for Quins to conjure up one of those Houdini-style recoveries that have become their speciality. The days of teams shutting up shop and quietly closing games out seem to have gone the way of horse-drawn carts.

It was a bizarre day all round, with much of the second half played with uncontested scrums after both Quins hookers were injured. There was also a slightly melancholy feel to the west country air with Sam Simmonds and potentially Jack Nowell both set to leave Devon at the end of the season.