Exeter got here from 26-6 right down to safe a dramatic 27-26 win and inflict a uncommon residence defeat on Sale because the Gallagher PREM resumed after a month-long break through the autumn internationals.
Alex Sanderson’s Sharks had misplaced solely as soon as at residence within the league since January 2024 however the guests from Devon confirmed spectacular spirit to mount an outstanding second-half fightback.
Three tries from Jack Yeandle, Olly Woodburn and Scott Sio, all transformed by Henry Slade, gave the Chiefs victory and despatched them prime of the desk on factors distinction forward of the weekend motion.
England flanker Tom Curry was sin-binned within the fifth minute and Exeter back-rower Tom Hooper adopted six minutes later, with each yellow playing cards a results of harmful tackles.
Sale seemed to be in management after tries from full-back Luke James and winger Alex Willis, however Exeter got here roaring again and had been to not be denied.
Curry began his first Sale sport of the season together with England team-mates Luke Cowan-Dickie, George Ford and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
The quartet starred for Steve Borthwick’s aspect as they racked up wins towards Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina within the autumn internationals.
Exeter included England duo Slade and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso together with Wales’ Dafydd Jenkins, Italy’s Andrea Zambonin and Australia’s Hooper and Len Ikitau.
Sale made a nasty begin when Opoku-Fordjour took an early knock, however he was match to proceed after therapy earlier than Exeter started to throw the ball about and put their hosts beneath strain.
When Curry caught Hodge along with his shoulder, referee Anthony Woodthorpe confirmed the England flanker a yellow card and Slade kicked the ensuing penalty to place Exeter 3-0 forward.
However Sale steadied themselves and started to get pleasure from some respectable subject place inside Exeter’s 22-metre line.
They levelled the scores with a penalty from Ford earlier than the England fly-half kicked one other three-pointer after Exeter flanker Hooper was sin-binned for a problem on Jacques Vermeulen.
Slade’s second penalty made it 6-6 earlier than Ford landed his third to revive Sale’s three-point benefit halfway by way of the primary half.
Ford then kicked his third penalty to make it 9-6 earlier than James scored the one attempt of the primary half, supporting an assault beautifully earlier than racing clear.
Ford transformed after which added one other three factors to present Sale a 19-6 half-time lead.
Wills stretched Sale’s lead by ending off clinically down the left flank within the forty sixth minute, with Ford changing, however Exeter got here again strongly.
Yeandle crashed over from shut vary within the fifty fifth minute and Slade transformed earlier than Woodburn produced an outstanding diving end within the left nook seven minutes later.
Slade transformed and after Sio touched down from shut vary within the seventieth minute, the England centre once more kicked the extras to finish the beautiful turnaround.
Leicester get complete win over Newcastle
Geoff Parling made a triumphant return to Kingston Park as his Leicester aspect prolonged Newcastle’s dropping begin to the Gallagher Prem season with a 39-17 victory.
Leicester’s head coach, who had begun his glittering profession on Tyneside, noticed the Tigers full a scientific five-try efficiency together with two for Joaquin Moro to maneuver as much as third within the desk.
It was a sixth defeat on the spin for the Crimson Bulls in entrance of one other 10,000-plus crowd.
Leicester opened the scoring on six minutes when Billy Searle judged the wind impeccably with a 40-metre penalty.
The Tigers prolonged their lead seven minutes later when lock James Thompson scored his first league attempt of the season from a close-range ahead drive, Searle changing.
Leicester had been quickly decreased to 14 gamers when wing Ollie Hassell-Collins was yellow-carded, and the Crimson Bulls took benefit on 21 minutes.
Leicester repelled fierce residence pack drives however when fly-half Brett Connon floated an outstanding lengthy cross, full-back Ethan Grayson trotted over from 15 metres with Connon including the extras.
Newcastle had barely completed celebrating after they conceded inside two minutes when No 8 Moro uncovered a gap within the residence defence to sprint by way of untouched for a attempt which Searle transformed.
The Crimson Bulls did cut back the deficit to 17-10 on the interval with a Connon penalty and the boys in black had been quickly out of the blocks for the second interval.
Newcastle, although, undid their good work by conceding a sequence of penalties which allowed Leicester to exert strain.
They efficiently saved out Hassell-Collins down the left after which Adam Radwan on the correct however the Tigers retained possession, with Freddie Steward sauntering over for his second attempt of the marketing campaign.
Searle transformed and shortly added a penalty to present Leicester respiration area at 27-10.
The Tigers clinched their four-try bonus level in spectacular trend seven minutes from time when Moro took an outstanding angle to complete after substitute fly-half James O’Connor ran again a deep residence kick assisted by Hassell-Collins. Orlando Bailey transformed.
Richard Palframan drove over for Crimson Bulls’ second attempt three minutes from time however Leicester had the ultimate say when flanker Tommy Reffell completed off a penalty lineout drive with an unconverted attempt.
