Exeter Chiefs deny Newcastle hat-trick hero Wade as Sale hold off Harlequins comeback

Exeter Chiefs claimed their inaugural victory of the Gallagher Premiership campaign on Saturday, holding off a spirited Newcastle Falcons side to win 34-28 at Sandy Park. Despite Christian Wade scoring a hat-trick for the visitors, the Chiefs managed to withstand late pressure to secure two crucial bonus points.

The match was a pulsating affair with the lead changing hands multiple times. Ross Vintcent opened the scoring for Exeter after just 40 seconds, charging down a clearance kick to gather and score. However, Newcastle responded quickly through Wade, who capitalized on a long pass from Simon Benitez Cruz. Vintcent added a second before Max Hicks crossed for Newcastle, with Zack Henry converting all four kicks to give the visitors a first-half lead.

Exeter’s Henry Slade raced through a leaky defense for a fifth try before the quarter mark, but the Chiefs suffered a setback when flanker Ethan Roots was yellow-carded for a no-arms tackle. Newcastle also saw full-back Harrison Obatoyinbo leave for a head injury assessment, replaced by 18-year-old Jake Dalziel, who became the club’s youngest-ever league debutant. Although Dalziel almost made an immediate impact with a well-judged cross-field kick, a poor bounce denied wing Werner Kok. Roots returned to the field, but Wade completed his hat-trick after a handling error from Slade, leaving Newcastle leading 21-19 at halftime.

After the restart, Exeter surged back into contention. Sam Harris scored on his Premiership debut to restore the home side’s lead and secure the bonus point. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso departed with a leg injury, prompting the introduction of debutant Samson Adejimi. The hosts pushed hard for a closing score, and Bachuki Tchumbadze crashed over as prop Adam Brocklebank was sin-binned, sealing the narrow triumph.

In other action, Sale Sharks extended their winning streak against Harlequins to five matches with a dramatic 28-24 victory at CorpAcq Stadium in Salford. The win keeps Sale’s hopes alive while deepening the crisis for Jason Gilmore’s side, who remain at the bottom of the table following their third consecutive loss.

Harlequins, making seven changes after a heavy 48-0 defeat to Gloucester the previous weekend, started brightly. Marcus Smith, returning from a finger injury, scored twice in the opening quarter, with George Furbank providing key assists. Sam Riley and Smith crossed for Quins before half-time, putting them ahead 17-14 despite two disallowed tries. Elia Canakaivata pulled one back for Sale, and Gus Warr added another before the break.

Harlequins seemed set for victory when Sam Riley grounded a bonus-point try in the 53rd minute. However, Sale steadied the ship, with Ben Bamber crossing after an initial break by Nicky Smith. A critical lineout steal by Courtney Lawes and a missed opportunity by Chandler Cunningham-South allowed Sale to hold on, thanks to a 73rd-minute penalty try that secured the win and continued their strong recent form against the Quins.