Exeter Chiefs player ratings from heavy Sale Sharks defeat - 'A real off day'

Exeter Chiefs came away empty-handed from their trip to the north as Sale Sharks dominated at the Salford Stadium on Sunday to run out 41-5 winners.

The Sharks crossed the line six times with player of the match Tom Roebuck recording a hat-trick and tries from Luke Cowan-Dickie, Gus Warr and Raffi Quirke. George Ford added 11 points with the boot. A single, albeit excellent, try from Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was all Exeter could muster in a highly disappointing display.

South West rugby writer John Evely takes a closer look at the individual performances from the Exeter Chiefs players...

15 Josh Hodge - 6

The full-back was inches from perfect on a couple of occasions as he launched what looked like it was going to be a stunning diagonal 50/22 but the ball took a horrible last-second change in direction which led to it bouncing dead. Just before half time Hodge was harshly yellow carded as he leapt and tried to intercept a wide pass with two hands but was knocked on and got a yellow card. There were glimpses of his attacking potential.

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso - 8

Back into the starting line-up having made his England debut during the Six Nations and a brief cameo off the bench last weekend, the winger - as we have become accustomed to - seemed to make an impact with every touch and scored a superb try when given the ball in some space, beating Manu Tuilagi for pace before powering through Gus Warr. He needs the ball and needs it more often as he was Exeter’s most dangerous player by a distance.

13 Henry Slade - 5

Brought back into the starting side having been given his mandatory week of rest against Newcastle after a busy Six Nations tournament with England, Slade was really tested in defence and seemed to have a real off day with passes sailing into touch rather than finding their intended target. A silly penalty for pushing Gus Warr off the ball as they competed for possession summed up his day.

12 Will Rigg - 4

Having been brought in from Coventry in midseason the big centre was out to claim a place in Exeter’s squad for the big Champions Cup game next weekend but he failed his audition as he struggled to make an impact as a ball carrier and got shown up by Sale’’s talisman Manu Tuilagi. Mind you Tuilagi is arguably one of the best players to grace the Premiership so there is no shame in that.

11 Olly Woodburn - 4

The winger struggled to make an impact and was dramatically beaten for pace by hat-trick hero Roebuck when the two of them were involved in a footrace after a kick-through by Josh Beaumont. Only an inexplicable drop from the Sharks man saved Chiefs from conceding another.

10 Harvey Skinner - 4

The fly-half failed to make an impact as a ball carrier or distributor as Exeter were forced to live without the ball, particularly in the first half. The gulf between him and his opposite number George Ford was considerable. A lovely long miss-pass to Feyi-Waboso set you the winger's try.

9 Stu Townsend - 5

Drafted into the starting lineout late in the day after Will Becconsall was forced to withdraw in the warm-up having injured himself stretching with a resistance band, Townsend struggled to get the ball away from the base of the ruck quickly with Sale competing hard to slow things down. He also failed to compete in the air for Roebuck’s second try and in general Gus Warr edged the head-to-head battle.

1 Scott Sio - 6

The loosehead prop failed to make an impact in the loose but held his own in the scrum to provide at least parity in that area.

2 Jack Yeandle - 6

The hooker executed the basics of his role well but couldn’t use all his leadership experience to get Chiefs back on track.

3 Ehren Painter - 6

Brought back into the starting side this week, the giant tighthead prop appeared to struggle with his bind on the shirt of Bevan Rodd who was using every trick in the book to make life difficult for him. Still a force to be reckoned with though.

4 Dafydd Jenkins - 6

Returning to captain his club side after leading Wales through a difficult Six Nations tournament, and things didn’t get any easier in Salford. That said he has a diesel engine on him and just keeps going.

5 Christ Tshiunza - 6

Making his first Premiership start of the season having broken his foot in the Autumn. The lock failed to make an impact as a carrier but was a nuisance at the breakdown to win a couple of turnover penalties.

6 Ross Vintcent - 6

Drafted back into the starting XV after a sterling Six Nations tournament with Italy, the lightning-quick flanker needed all his pace to get back and make an impressive try-saving tackle on Tom O’Flaherty who still has plenty of zip. Bravely battled on despite blood pouring out his nose for much of the contest after catching some friendly fire in a tackle.

7 Richard Capstick - 5

Still on the comeback trail following a long injury layoff, the flanker was outplayed by Sale captain Ben Curry who dominated proceedings on both sides of the ball. Another guilty of giving away a silly and costly penalty as he played the nine at the back of a ruck which is going to get you penalised all day.

8 Greg Fisilau - 5

The number eight showed brief flashes of his combination of footwork and power such as when he broke off the back of a scrum deep in his 22 but with Exeter unable to string phases together due to giving away silly and soft penalties he had few opportunities to shine.

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost - 7

17 Danny Southworth - 7

18 Marcus Street - 7

19 Lewis Pearson - 6

20 Jack Dunne - 7

21 Tom Cairns - 7

22 Will Haydon-Wood - 7

23 Zack Wimbush - 7