Gallagher Premiership: Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks maintain play-off hopes alive | Rugby Union Information

Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks saved alive their Gallagher Premiership play-off hopes with victories over Gloucester and Newcastle Falcons on Sunday.

The Chiefs nonetheless have all of it to do, mendacity 4 factors adrift of the highest 4 with solely two common season video games left, whereas Sale are two factors nearer after their newest win.

Exeter remained within the combine forward of their remaining two fixtures towards Harlequins (fifth) and Leicester (eighth) by means of a bonus-point 38-17 victory over West Nation rivals Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Henry Slade was the star of the present, his artistic midfield presence inflicting Gloucester issues all afternoon, whereas he additionally kicked a penalty and transformed all 5 of Exeter’s tries from flanker Jacques Vermeulen (two), full-back Dan John and wings Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Olly Woodburn.

Ninth-placed Gloucester undoubtedly had an eye fixed on subsequent weekend’s European Problem Cup semi-final appointment with Benetton, they usually by no means severely threatened Exeter regardless of tries by wing Jonny Might, flanker Jack Clement and lock Arthur Clark, with fly-half Charlie Atkinson including one conversion.

Gloucester fell behind early to a 40-metre Slade penalty, with Exeter shortly again on the entrance foot and increasing their lead by means of Vermeulen’s first attempt from shut vary after 14 minutes.

Exeter continued shifting impressively by means of the gears and a second attempt arrived simply 4 minutes later after Joe Hawkins despatched his midfield accomplice Slade by means of an enormous hole, with John offering the end.

Trailing 17-0, Might offered a glimmer of hope for Gloucester when scoring 11 minutes earlier than the interval. However Exeter quickly reasserted themselves on the competition, slicing open Gloucester’s defence courtesy of a Slade break and Woodburn utilized the end.

It could be Gloucester to have the primary half’s remaining say, nevertheless, when Clement crossed unopposed, decreasing Exeter’s result in 24-10.

Gloucester additionally started the second interval brightly till a Harvey Skinner lengthy move for an unmarked Feyi-Waboso added to Exeter’s benefit.

Slade’s immaculate kind with the boot continued through a touchline conversion, however after Clark charged down a Cairns clearance to attain and Atkinson transformed, Gloucester threatened an unlikely fightback.

Centre Chris Harris broke clear in midfield and located Varney in assist, and it took an excellent cowl deal with from Skinner to disclaim the Italy worldwide.

It was a warning to the Chiefs, however as soon as once more they responded and Vermeulen’s second attempt, transformed by Slade, put appreciable daylight between the groups.

Sale two factors off play-off after surviving Newcastle scare

In Newcastle, Sale secured a 35-14 victory over the still-winless Falcons at Kingston Park.

First-half tries from Ben Curry and Joe Carpenter had the visiting Sharks in management, earlier than Man Pepper went over to scale back the deficit to a transformed attempt.

A Tim Cardall rating levelled the sport and briefly gave Newcastle followers hope of a uncommon win, however Luke Cowan-Dickie swiftly dotted down to revive Sale’s lead.

There was no method again this time for the Falcons, who had been denied a shedding bonus level after tries from Tom Roebuck and Rob du Preez within the remaining 10 minutes.

Sale had registered bonus-point wins of their final two Premiership video games, with one other right here taking them to inside two factors of fourth-placed Bristol Bears.

In distinction, their opponents suffered an 85-14 thrashing at Ashton Gate final week and had been determined to finish their lengthy winless streak within the competitors, having not tasted success since March 2023.

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