Storm 57 Braves 26

Saracens Storm 57

Exeter Chiefs 26

Mark Stevens at Allianz Park

Exeter Braves slipped to their first defeat of the season in the Aviva A League as they were undone by a powerful Saracens Storm outfit at Allianz Park.

Ricky Pellow’s side felt the full force of the Storm, whose power, pace and precision allowed them to run in eight tries on the day.

Sione Vailanu, Tom Whiteley and Matt Gallagher all grabbed a brace apiece for the home side, while Ben Earl and Max Malins, who also kicked 17 with the boot, were also on the scoresheet.

The visitors, although well beaten on the day, did at least have the consolation of taking home a losing bonus point, courtesy of tries from Onehunga Havili, Josh Caulfield, Paul Davis and James Freeman, three of which were converted by fly-half Harvey Skinner.

The Braves arrived in the capital unbeaten in the competition, but it was a much-changed line-up from that which had taken to the field in previous matches this season.

With a number of first-team names being held back with one eye on Friday’s Anglo-Welsh Cup Final against Bath, it was a largely youthful Exeter team that took to the field at Allianz Park.

There was a sprinkling of experience as well with Freeman and Wilhelm Van Der Sluys joined in the pack by Tongan international Havili, who didn’t take long to make his mark on proceedings.

The former Western Force No.8 - currently on trial at Sandy Park - was making his first outing in an Exeter jersey and he took just three minutes to claim his first points, powering over from a close-range pick-and-go after centre Harry Strong had made decent headway in the build-up with some strong running through the heart of the home defence.

It was the ideal start for the Braves, but their joy did not last as the Londoners levelled the game up inside four minutes.Strong carries through the middle from Joel Kpoku and Valianu had the visiting defence scrambling, before the ball was fed left to Malins, whose clever side-step back inside allowed him to cross for the score, which he also converted.

Shortly after and Malins, the former England Under-20s international, was adding the extras to a second Saracens score. The imposing Kpoku was again involved in the build-up, bashing his way through the heart of the Braves defensive line, before slipping an offload to Valianu to trudge over.

Malins extended the home side’s lead to ten points with a routine penalty, before the Braves countered at the other end with their second try of the afternoon.

Matt Blee, one of a number of Exeter University students on duty for the Braves, laid the foundations for the score, latching onto a slick attacking move to raid down the right wing. Although the winger was felled just shy of the line, the Braves forwards were quickly on the scene and helped to propel Caulfield over for the unconverted score.

Back in the contest, the Braves had the bit between their teeth and they threatened again with another five-metre line-out drive. However, stubborn defence from the hosts denied the threat and they countered down field to deadly effect.

The impressive Malins was again heavily involved, his break from halfway saw him link with fellow half-back Whiteley, who offered a pop pass inside for Earl to run in unopposed.

Malins bagged the extras to that score and the home side’s bonus point try, which arrived right on the stroke of half time as a break from Reuben Bird-Tulloch saw him cut through the middle of the Exeter backline before shipping a pass to the onrushing Whiteley to race in under the sticks.

HALF TIME   SARACENS STORM 31   EXETER BRAVES 12

Having surrendered two tries just before the break, the Braves fell further behind just three minutes after the restart. Making the most of turnover ball, Saracens used their powerful pack to punch their way back deep into the Exeter 22, the fruits of which resulted in a second converted try for Vailanu.

The Tongan forward was at the heart of all the home side’s best efforts and it was another charging run from the No.8 that allowed the home side to heap further misery on the Braves.

He tore through the middle before the ball was flung out wide to Morris, who in turn fed full-back Gallagher to race over unopposed for the score, which Malins converted with ease.

To their credit, the Braves refused to throw in the towel and a strong carry from skipper Freeman put them back on the front foot. With the foundations laid just five metres from the Sarries line, the forwards took control, working their way through a series of close-range drives to send hooker Davis over for the score, converted by Skinner.

Any hopes of a fightback from the Devonians, however, were quickly extinguished as they added their seventh try of the afternoon. England Under-20s captain Earl took up the charge with Vialanu having now been replaced and it was from his break that the hosts worked the opening for Gallagher to claim his second of the contest.

With both sides emptying their benches during the final quarter, so the game lost the same vibrancy as it had shown earlier in the day. However, it was Saracens who added to their tally late on, Whiteley making the most of turnover ball to scamper over for their eighth score.

Although the game was over as a contest in terms of the final result, the Braves underlined their fighting spirit with five minutes remaining, claiming a bonus point score of their own when Freeman drove over following strong carries from Van Der Sluys, Jack Owlett and Tom Lawday in the build up. Skinner obliged with a third conversion of the afternoon.

The Braves weren’t finished there, throwing caution to the wind in the dying minutes. Replacements, Pierre Thompson, Lawday and Owlett fashioned a decent chance with a clever counter attack, while a succession of penalties allowed the forwards to have one final rumble for the line.

Van Der Sluys, James Kenny and Ed Holmes all threatened the home line before Davistook up the baton from a quick tap penalty. Sadly, the hooker could not make the pressure count, knocking on within the try-line in sniffing distance.

Saracens Storm: M Gallagher; R Segun, D Morris, R Bird-Tulloch (O Morris 58), N Earle (E Obatoyinbo 58); M Malins (K Kay 63), T Whiteley; H Thompson-Stringer (R Adams-Hale 56), T McElroy (J Taylor 72), K Longbottom (F Pifelti 68); J Kpoku (J Kpoku 48), M Flanagan; J Nay, N Earl (capt), S Vailanu (A Christie 48).

Tries - Malins, Vailanu (2), Earl, Whiteley (2), Gallagher (2); Conversions - Malins (7); Penalty - Malins

Exeter Braves: T Williams; M Blee (J Elderkin 29), C Morgan, H Strong (P Thompson 75), C Davis (W Hollis 48); H Skinner, J Snow; B Keast (J Kenny 56), P Davis, M Street (J Owlett 44); J Caulfield (E Holmes 56), W van der Sluys; S Lonsdale (T Lawday 48), J Freeman (capt), O Havili (B Phillips 70).

Tries - Havili, Caulfield, Davis, Freeman; Conversions - Skinner (3)

Referee: G MacDonald

Attendance: 94