Yahoo News Exeter Chiefs vs Wasps - player ratings: Who stood out in Premiership final and who went missing?
Exeter Chiefs completed a momentous double when they beat Wasps 19-13 in a rain-lashed arm-wrestle of a Premiership final in a near-empty Twickenham.
Victory came a week after winning the European Champions Cup and ensured they finished the extended Premiership Rugby season on a high. Who shone on the big stage and who went missing? Charlie Morgan assesses both line-ups.
Exeter Chiefs
15. Stuart Hogg
Beaten easily by Umaga and stripped by Gopperth. Either side of those setbacks, he brought calm to the kicking exchanges 6
14. Jack Nowell
Tackled Umaga in the air but quickly redeemed that. Effervescent in attack, throwing a snappy pass for Slade’s try and clipping a clever grubber down the touchline 8
13. Henry Slade
Quiet for much of the first quarter until slicing Wasps with a gliding run to score. Left boot and composure in the back-field was important 8
12. Ollie Devoto
Brought in for Ian Whitten but found himself well marshalled by Wasps’ midfield. Fed off scraps to punch a couple of holes 7
11. Olly Woodburn
Could not control Gopperth’s stabbed cross-kick, which allowed Minozzi to gather to grow and foreshadowed Umaga’s try. Flipped one nice offload in-field 5
10. Joe Simmonds (c)
Almost released Woodburn with a left-footed dink but then kicked out on the full. Tricky moments but reliable from the tee, as ever 7
9. Jack Maunder
Hoisted numerous box-kicks, some of which drifted too long, and organised his forwards well. Robson’s spark was brighter but Maunder will not mind 6
1. Alec Hepburn
Typically energetic, bustling into the Wasps 22 around the fringes of a ruck. Penalised at a scrum shortly afterwards and started the second period with an early tackle 6
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie
Spilled in a tackle from Thomas Young to surrender a decent opportunity early on and, like Taylor, endured some lineout wobbles. Still a keynote carrier for Chiefs 7
3. Harry Williams
Under pressure in the first scrum but forced a jackal turnover and a set-piece penalty before the break. Then turned the screw 8
4. Sam Skinner
Started instead of fellow Scotland international Jonny Gray and was a nuisance at the lineout, snaffling steals and helping shunt Chiefs over the line 8
5. Jonny Hill
Came into this game with six tries in his past three Premiership games and nabbed an early Wasps throw before being replaced by Gray 6
6. Dave Ewers
Gargantuan against Racing 92, Ewers was full of endeavour. He did not quite replicate that sort of display but lasted the course 7
7. Jannes Kirsten
A lineout banker for Exeter and prominent around the pitch, despite handling errors. Immense in the seminal sequence of mauls that finally beat Wasps 8
8. Sam Simmonds
A powerhouse at the centre of Chiefs’ lineout drive, even if he did not enjoy the space that he has done at times this season 7
Replacements
16. Jack Yeandle (on for Cowan-Dickie, 61)
Penalised a couple of times as Wasps fought to the final bell but kept cool 6
17. Ben Moon (on for Hepburn, 61)
Fumbled in the Wasps 22 but recovered well 6
18. Tomas Francis (on for Williams, 61)
An important, powerful figure for the telling drives 7
19. Jonny Gray (on for Hill, 55)
Stood up to guide Exeter to glory, stealing Oghre’s fateful throw and bringing Chiefs home with his lineout skill 8
20. Jacques Vermeulen N/A
Not used
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (on for Maunder, 61)
Coordinated the shoves that carried Exeter to the trophy. Another astute signing from Baxter 6
22. Gareth Steenson N/A
Not used
23. Ian Whitten N/A
Not used
Wasps
15. Matteo Minozzi
A couple of uncertain moments under the high ball, the second of which put Wasps in trouble. Did make a zippy half-break 6
14. Zach Kibirige
Instrumental in Umaga’s first try, pressurising Woodburn and then running a decoy line to create space for his fly-half. Restricted to chasing kicks outside that 7
13. Juan de Jongh
This was the Springbok’s second game since lockdown and, in the absence of Malakai Fekitoa, he was busy and shrewd, especially around the breakdown 7
12. Jimmy Gopperth
A fine touch-finder settled Wasps and his stabbed cross-kick led to Umaga’s try. Also stubborn in defence. Still so effective at this level 8
11. Josh Bassett
Lost possession as Wasps launched a wrap-around in the first half and second best to Nowell in an aerial duel as the rain teemed down 5
10. Jacob Umaga
Content to stay patient in the opening exchanges and then struck with a dancing try. Hit a wonderful touch-finder as Wasps almost snatched it at the death 8
9. Dan Robson
Bounced back to the blindside to find room prior to Umaga’s try and was lively and tenacious on both sides of the ball 8
1. Tom West
Beaten easily by Slade for Exeter’s first try but committed around the field and deserves credit for holding firm against Exeter’s aggressive scrum 6
2. Tommy Taylor
A difficult night at the lineout in foul conditions with Skinner, Hill and Kirsten lurking. Dogged defensively, chopping Chiefs carriers 6
3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
Just about even in a tit-for-tat scrum tussle with Hepburn, mitigating the impact of Wasps’ front-row absences 7
4. Joe Launchbury (c)
Phenomenal at spoiling mauls and stopped Chiefs’ first surge at the line. Did knock-on later, although defended relentlessly 8
5. Will Rowlands
An elementary handling error represented a frustrating start but he helped resist Chiefs’ big men in the tight exchanges until the very end 7
6. Jack Willis
His pick and go earned Wasps’ first points and he pounced with a brilliant turnover in the 47th minute as he grew in influence 8
7. Thomas Young
Smashed Cowan-Dickie early but found himself on the wrong side of referee Craig Maxwell-Keys when he thought he had won a turnover 7
8. Tom Willis
Crept slightly too wide for Slade’s score, isolating teammate West. Replaced six minutes after half-time in a disappointing end to an excellent breakthrough season 5
Replacements
16. Gabriel Oghre (on for Taylor, 51)
Made an immediate impact with a one-man counter-drive that stalled Exeter. Will be distraught two dodgy lineout throws but one for the future 6
17. Ben Harris (on for West, 54)
Dug in and contributed to Wasps’ resurgence at the start of the final quarter 6
18. Biyi Alo (on for Toomaga-Allen, 66)
Toomaga’s stamina meant that Alo was only needed for the final 14 minutes N/A
19. James Gaskell (on for Tom Willis, 46)
Introduced for Tom Willis to shore up Wasps’ tight game and did that job. It was only at the very end that his team buckled 7
20. Ben Morris N/A
Not used
21. Ben Vellacott N/A
Not used
22. Lima Sopoaga (on for Minozzi, 56)
A difficult season ended with a good performance. His athletic save on the touchline gave Wasps a glimmer of hope 7
23. Michael Le Bourgeois (on for De Jongh, 74)
Arrived for the impress De Jongh but too late to make an impact N/A
