Exeter move back into Premiership play-off picture with victory over Sale

Exeter moved back into the Premiership play-off zone with a 19-12 victory over Sale Sharks at Sandy Park.

The Chiefs climbed to fourth, leapfrogging Gloucester and London Irish, after a controlled display highlighted by two tries from flanker Jacques Vermeulen.

It was Exeter’s fourth successive Premiership victory as Sale endured a difficult afternoon that saw them hit by a number of injury setbacks.

Flanker Cameron Neild was carried off, while Cobus Wiese, Raffi Quirke and Coenie Oosthuizen also made premature exits.

Even without their sizeable England contingent, Exeter dominated most of the contest, with wing Olly Woodburn also touching down, while fly-half Joe Simmonds kicked two conversions.

Chiefs will be frustrated, though, at their failure to increase a 19-0 lead, missing out on a bonus point, with the only second-half scoring being Sale tries from Ewan Ashman and Curtis Langdon, plus one AJ MacGinty conversion.

Robert Kitson’s full report will follow shortly.