Exeter Chiefs maul Northampton to march into play-off spots

The set-piece may often be known as Northampton Saints’ bread and butter – a staple of their recent diet of domestic success.

But Exeter Chiefs’ dominance over Jim Mallinder’s men, particularly when packing down at scrum-time, was enough to pulverise the defending champions into submission at a raucous Sandy Park on Sunday afternoon.

How referee Wayne Barnes saw fit to only banish three visiting players to the bin and award just one penalty try was something of a mystery to those in attendance.

But what was clear was that Exeter’s complete dominance at the set-piece enabled them to batter t…

Latest News