Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s touchdown culminated a remarkable second-period fightback by Exeter, securing a 33-33 Gallagher Prem stalemate for the away team at Northampton.
This inaugural-weekend confrontation at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens appeared destined to be a dominant home triumph, as Saints surged to a 33-7 halftime advantage, highlighted by a brace of scores from 19-year-old Edoardo Todaro in his league bow.
However, the tables turned post-intermission, with Chiefs displaying a tenacity often missing last campaign, and they might even have clinched victory had a late Henry Slade ‘score’ not been nullified.
A last-minute alteration to Exeter’s lineup saw Ethan Roots, initially slated to captain the squad, replaced by Greg Fisilau, with England’s Slade assuming the captaincy.
The visitors needed only three minutes to register the initial points, as Feyi-Waboso exploited a lapse in the home defense, darting through unchallenged after collecting the ball from the ruck’s base just inside the 22.
22m Entries
Slade augmented the score with the conversion, but Northampton responded after 11 minutes, as Alex Coles powered his way over from close range following a robust surge from number eight Callum Chick.
A midfield surge by George Hendy and Archie McParland, who was superbly halted by Paul Brown-Bampoe, subsequently led to Saints notching a second score, as Chick distributed the ball left for Tom Pearson to dive over.
The hosts commenced to pull ahead when swift interplay between Hendy and James Ramm culminated in Todaro securing his first score in the 28th minute.
The bonus point was assured after 32 minutes, when Tom Litchfield broke free from Fraser Dingwall’s reverse pass, resisting Brown-
Bampoe’s attempted stop to cross the line.
Todaro then bagged his second three minutes prior to the break, surging in from the left flank after being located in space by the impressive Hendy – Anthony Belleau’s fourth conversion extending the lead to 26 points at halftime.
Having been put under significant pressure, Exeter responded within three minutes of the restart, as Brown-Bampoe capitalized on Stephen Varney’s well-placed kick down the left.
Points Flow Chart
Game ends in a Draw
Time in lead
56%
% Of Game In Lead
10%
55%
Possession Last 10 min
45%
Whispers regarding an improbable comeback then gained traction after 54 minutes, when Josh Hodge penetrated the 22 before accurately timing his pass to send Italy’s Ross Vintcent beneath the posts.
The visitors’ belief surged when Vintcent secured another score from a swift line-out, and the game was leveled after 69 minutes when Feyi-Waboso sprinted in from the right for a score converted by Slade.
Hodge subsequently received a 20-minute red card for a hazardous challenge on Sam Graham, but Exeter came closest to clinching the win when a
Slade score was disallowed due to a forward pass to Brown-Bampoe.
