Written off as relegation fodder, London Welsh sent out a clear message to their Aviva Premiership rivals at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday that they are not here to make up the numbers.
After a comfortable defeat to Leicester and a comprehensive rout at the hands of Harlequins, the Exiles found themselves two tries down after ten minutes to the Chiefs and seemingly on course for another harsh introduction to Premiership life.
But not this time, not this time. The Welsh pack once again showed that they’ll be no pushover, sending Exeter into retreat to earn a penalty try before Nick Scott intercepted before sprinting 80 metres.
Gordon Ross’ penalty completed the comeback and Welsh took a 15-14 lead into the break.
Richard Baxter’s converted try put the Chiefs back in front, with Ross and Gareth Steenson trading penalties. It seemed Welsh would have to settle for a losing bonus point until two minutes from time Ed Jackson drove over from close range.
Seb Jewell’s conversion sealed the club’s first-ever Aviva Premiership victory. It will take a few more if the Exiles are to be playing in the same league again next season, but this was definitely a start.
Having conceded early points to Leicester and Harlequins, Welsh had the opportunity to strike first against the Chiefs. Ross’ grubber kick and a good chase forced Exeter to concede a five-metre scrum, only for Welsh to go blind and Tyson Keats’ offload to be intercepted.
Matt Jess sprinted 50 metres as Welsh turned defence into attack. The Exiles got back to close the door on the winger but the damage had already been done, and when the Chiefs switched play across the field Luke Arscott went over. Ignacio Mieres added the extras.
Chiefs centre Sireli Naqelevuki was causing Welsh problems every time he touched the ball. It was his carry that set up Exeter’s second try, with the centre releasing Jess for an easy run in. Indeed, it was all a bit too easy for the Chiefs.
Mieres converted and a third heavy defeat seemed on the cards for the Exiles, but crucially Welsh responded quickly.
From a lineout on the Exeter 22, the Exiles’ forward drove their way up to the tryline, only for the Chiefs to drag it down. Referee David Pearson had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try.
Ross converted and it was to get even better for Welsh when Scott intercepted Chris Whitehead’s pass and sprinted away to score. Ross couldn’t add the extras, but the home side had closed the gap to just two and fears of a third heavy defeat had been allayed. More to the point, Exeter knew they were in for a tough afternoon.
Ross was then off target with a penalty attempt after Tom Johnson was penalised for offside at a ruck, but he would edge Welsh in front before the half was out.
Exeter’s main threat was still through Naqelevuki, but Phil MacKenzie bundled Jess into touch as he collected an up and under inside his own 22.
From there it turned into a forwards battle and the Exiles were eventually awarded with a penalty at a scrum close to the posts. Ross did the rest and Welsh were ahead for the first time in a Premiership game.
Welsh would see out the half camped on their own line, however, as the Chiefs poured on the pressure, but see it out they did. Ross banging a penalty into the South Stand to cue the half-time whistle.
There was no let up from the home side after the break, as they probed the Exeter defence. Hooker Neil Briggs found a gap, only for Tom Arscott’s grubber to go dead with Scott in pursuit.
For all of Welsh’s early good work, though, it was the away side that put the first points on the board. Mieres pushed a penalty into the corner and although the Exiles repelled the initial catch and drive, the Chiefs eventually forced their way over through Baxter. Mieres converted.
Ross immediately closed the gap to three points with a penalty, with Mieres then off target after Luke Arscott had sliced through the Welsh defence.
Replacement Gareth Steenson made no mistake, however, when given the opportunity with 17 minutes remaining, after the Welsh pack were deemed to have infringed at a scrum.
Steenson’s strike left the Exiles needing a converted try and with Exeter seemingly content to protect what they had, it duly arrived two minutes from time as the Welsh forwards drove up to the line and Jackson forced his over from close range to huge cheers.
Jewell kept his nerve to slot over what would in other circumstances have been a straight forward conversion, and Welsh were within touching distance.
The home side still had 90 seconds to negotiate on the countdown clock, but this they did without alarm to ensure a famous win and a famous day in the history of London Welsh RFC.
London Welsh:
Tries: Penalty Try, Scott, Jackson; Cons: Ross, Jewell; Pens: Ross (2).
Exeter Chiefs:
Tries: Arscott, Jess, Baxter; Cons: Mieres (3); Pens: Steenson.
Half-time: 15-14
Referee: David Pearson
Referee Assistants: Paul Burton & Andrew Small
Full-time: London Welsh 25-24 Exeter Chiefs
80+7min: CON London Welsh 25-24 Exeter Chiefs (Jewell)
Jewell adds the extras and there are just two minutes left on the countdown clock!
80+6min: TRY London Welsh 23-24 Exeter Chiefs (Jackson)
Welsh attack through the forwards inside the Exeter 22. They inch closer and closer until Jackson goes over to huge cheers!
80+3min: Great scrum by Welsh and they get the penalty....
80+1min: Time is slipping by on Welsh
78min: Welsh steel Exeter lineout ball and attack, but Exeter have a penalty as Welsh hold on in the tackle
76min: The pressure's coming from Welsh at the moment, but little mistakes letting them down
74min: Welsh turn over an Exeter scrum, but it's crossing against the Exiles!
69min: PEN London Welsh 18-24 Exeter Chiefs (Steenson)
68min: Penalty to Exeter at a scrum...
66min: Exeter on the front foot here....but the game's become a bit disjointed
57min: Penalty missed by Mieres after Luke Arscott's run sliced through Welsh
55min: PEN London Welsh 18-21 Exeter Chiefs (Ross)
53min: CON London Welsh 15-21 Exeter Chiefs (Mieres)
52min: TRY London Welsh 15-19 Exeter Chiefs (Baxter)
The pressure pays as Baxter goes over from close range
51min: Exeter forwards take in on.....
49min: Penalty to Exeter inside the Welsh half....Mieres to touch
46min: Arscott puts up the high ball and a good tackle by Scott forces a knock on....Welsh scrum....but Exeter get the penalty with a big push
45min: Really good start to the second half by Welsh....asking all the questions
43min: Great beak by Briggs....but Arscott's kick is just too far..then a lovely dummy by Arscott as he goes back to collect when Exeter kick long
41min: Penalty to Welsh on half way....Ross to touch
4:02pm: Mieres gets the second started
Half-time: London Welsh 15-14 Exeter Chiefs
40+6min: Penalty to Welsh and Ross bangs it into the stand
40+5min: Huge pressure by the Chiefs, but just metres from the Welsh line the home side get the put in....big moment
40+1min: PEN London Welsh 15-14 Exeter Chiefs (Ross)
40min: Penalty to Welsh at the scrum.....
39min: The Welsh forwards take in on....scrum to Welsh about nine metres out in front of the posts
38min: Great kick and MacKenzie makes a big hit on Jess....lineout to Welsh in the Exeter 22
37min: Turnover ball and the dangerous Naqelevuki is off again and Exeter are into the 22, but it's a penalty at the breakdown to Welsh
36min: It's wide of the left upright.....
35min: Penalty to Welsh as Johnson goes through a ruck offside...Ross for the posts
33min: Mieres' kick is out on the full....scrum back to Welsh
30min: Time wasting by Welsh in taking the lineout and it's a free kick to Exeter..opportunity wasted there
28min: Welsh get the penalty at the scrum....Ross to touch on the Exeter 22
27min: Tom Arscott's kick takes a wicked bounce on his brother Luke and it's a Welsh scrum just inside the Welsh half
25min: TRY London Welsh 12-14 Exeter Chiefs (Scott)
Interception try by the winger as he runs from his own 22 to score
24min: Exeter try and get the drive going but it's Welsh scrum.....that turns into an Exeter free kick....they run it
23min: Good scrum by Exeter and they get a penalty...Mieres to touch
22min: Knock on by Tonga'uiha and it's an Exeter scrum
21min: Welsh scrum in a good position after a good up and under take by Scott....
17min: CON London Welsh 7-14 Exeter Chiefs (Ross)
16min: TRY London Welsh 5-14 Exeter Chiefs (Penalty Try)
Great drive from the Welsh pack from a lineout penalty and the Chiefs pull down the maul right on their line.....referee David Pearson awards a penalty try
13min: CON London Welsh 0-14 Exeter Chiefs (Mieres)
12min: TRY London Welsh 0-12 Exeter Chiefs (Jess)
Naqelevuki makes a break and feeds Jess....to easily for the Chiefs
11min: Exeter possession but it's a penalty to Welsh on half way....Ross to touch
8min: CON London Welsh 0-7 Exeter Chiefs (Mieres)
6min: TRY London Welsh 0-5 Exter Chiefs (Arscott)
Exeter incercept from the scrum as Welsh go blind. Jess can't make it, but when they go acrosd the pitch Luke Arscott is in
5min: Free kick to Welsh....another scrum
5min: Daniel Browne just getting treatment....here we go then...
4min: MacKenzie and Scott both make half breaks....Ross puts the grubber kick through....it's too long but Exeter are forced to touch down inside their in goal area....five metre scrum to Welsh
1min: Tom Arscott is bundled into touch.....Exeter lineout
3pm: Gordon Ross gets this Round 3 Aviva Premiership fixture underway
2:59pm: Before today's game there's a minute's silence for Ulster's Nevin Spence, who was killed along with his brother Graham and father Noel
2:58pm: Jonathan Mills leads out the home team London Welsh
2.58pm: Here comes the Chiefs, led by Tom Hayes, and a good number have made the journey from Exeter to cheer them on
2:45pm: Team news
London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones makes just one change from the starting line up which faced Harlequins for today's Round 3 clash with Exeter Chiefs.
Nick Scott, who scored seven tries in 12 Championship appearances for the Exiles last season after joining the club on loan from Bath, comes in for Joe Ajuwa on the wing, with Scott’s place on the bench taken by the versatile James Lewis.
The only other change sees Jonah Holmes, a try scorer against Harlequins in the sides’ Aviva A League meeting, return to the London Welsh match-day 23 in place of Nick Runciman. James Lewis is named on the bench.
One late change for Welsh sees Daniel George named at replacement hooker instead of Greg Bateman.
Sunday could also throw up a bit of sibling rivalry with London Welsh full back Tom Arscott set to go head-to-head with Exeter full back and brother Luke.
The Chiefs head into Sunday's encounter having to make one enforced change to their starting line-up as winger Josh Tatupu has been ruled out through injury.
The Samoan international broke his ankle early in the second half of the game against Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens, so Fijian star Sireli Naqelevuki is promoted from the bench to start in the centre with Irishman Ian Whitten shifting to the wing.
The other change in personnel to the starting XV sees James Hanks come back into the second row at the expense of Aly Muldowney, who fills the void left by Hanks on the bench. There Muldowney will be joined by two newcomers in the shape of Jack Nowell and Carl Rimmer, both of whom will make their first-ever Premiership appearances if summoned for action.
LONDON WELSH: 15. Tom Arscott, 14. Phil MacKenzie, 13. Sonny Parker, 12. Hudson Tonga’uiha, 11. Nick Scott, 10. Gordon Ross, 9. Tyson Keats, 1. Franck Montanella, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion, 4. Matt Corker, 5. Jonathan Mills ©, 6. Daniel Browne, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Ed Jackson.
Replacements: 16. Dan George, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Kirill Kulemin, 20. Alfie To’oala, 21. Jonah Holmes, 22. Seb Jewell, 23 James Lewis.
EXETER CHIEFS: 15. Luke Arscott, 14. Ian Whitten, 13. Sireli Naqelevuki, 12. Phil Dollman, 11. Matt Jess, 10. Ignacio Mieres, 9. Will Chudley, 1. Brett Sturgess, 2. Chris Whitehead, 3. Craig Mitchell, 4. Tom Hayes ©,
5. James Hanks, 6. Tom Johnson, 7. James Scaysbrook, 8. Richard Baxter.
Replacements: 16. Simon Alcott, 17. Ben Moon, 18. Carl Rimmer, 19. Aly Muldowney, 20. James Phillips, 21. Kevin Barrett, 22. Gareth Steenson, 23. Jack Nowell.
Match officials
Referee: David Pearson
Assistant referees: Paul Burton & Andrew Small
2:40pm:
It doesn't get any easier for London Welsh as he in the wake of Leicester Tigers and Harlequins come Exeter to the Kassam Stadium, with the Chiefs hell bent on adding to the Exiles' woes.
The Chiefs, Championship winners in 2010, have made a good start to the new season, but Lyn Jones' men will be keen to respond after what was a poor showing last time out at the Twickenham Stoop against Harlequins. No disgrace in going down to the current Aviva Premiership champions, but the Exiles will feel they didn't do themselves justice.
Sunday will be the sides’ first meeting since Exeter’s 2009/10 promotion season – the inaugural season of the Championship. A 13-9 defeat at Sandy Park during the regular season was reversed by the Exiles at Old Deer Park, 12-10, thanks to Guy Mercer’s last gasp try and Gordon Ross’ conversion.
The sides met again in that season’s play-offs with the Exiles going down 32-6 at Sandy Park, before extracting revenge, 16-15, in the return game, which was played at Esher’s Molesey Road ground.
London Welsh v Exeter Chiefs
Aviva Premiership
Sunday 16th September, 2012
Live updates from the Kassam Stadium
