Leeds Carnegie survive relegation from Aviva by defeating Exeter Chiefs – Rugby news
Positive competition anywhere is healthy, while the team in the Aviva Premiership are fighting for the place in the Top Four, there certainly are team if not teams who is fighting for a spot in the Aviva Premiership and with this the Leeds Carnegie is referred
to.
Leeds Carnegie now placed at the bottom of the table with just three wins coming from their 18 matches. Leeds during the weekend has overcome the challenge of Exeter Chiefs 27 – 22 at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds.
The ranking and points alongside the number of game won does not really justify their actual ability. Team Leeds Carnegie has showed to audience that they are capable of playing good rugby as they have demonstrated in their games against the Gloucester Rugby
and London Irish.
Leeds Carnegie has defeated the Gloucester Rugby 15-13 and London Irish by 27-19, both teams are in the top five of the Aviva Premiership. Leeds Carnegie took the field against the Exeter Chiefs knowing the fact that if they lose today they probably will
face the relegation from the Aviva Premiership.
Both teams started the game slowly and emphasized more on defence rather than attack. No team was able to score in the first 12 minutes of the game. The visitors were first to score in the 13th minute of the game, when their Fly Half Gareth Steenson scored
a penalty.
Minutes later, Leeds Carnegie levelled the score with their Fly Half Adrian Jarvis scoring a penalty during the 16th minute of the game. Exeter Chiefs later started to lose the ball possession and provide hosts the opportunity to gain the territory frequently.
For Leeds Jarvis scored his second penalty to take the score to 6 – 3. Leeds Carnegie attack kept pressurising the Chiefs defence and eventually extended their lead by 10 points. In 31st minute, Leeds Carnegie Flanker Hendre Fourie scored a try followed
by Jarvis conversion. At the end of the first half the Leeds Carnegie were comfortably placed with scorecard reading 16-6.
Exeter Chiefs dry run with scoring ended when Bryan Rennie scored a try four minutes in the second half. Rennie was challenged by the Leeds defence but he recovered the ball to score Chiefs only try of the game. This was followed by Steenson’s conversion
to reduce the Leeds lead to three points. Chiefs levelled the score with Steenson landing his third penalty in the 51st minute of the game.
Leeds was again put on to lead by Adrian Jarvis’s penalty, which was later reduced, by Steenson’s penalty in the 61st minute. Leeds Carnegie put their head ahead with their To’ola Vaeluaga try during the 64th minute of the game.
Jarvis extended the lead by eight points by scoring a drop goal on penalty in the 72nd minute of the game. Exeter Chiefs tried their best to reduce and overcome the deficit but denied by the Leeds and were only able to secure drop goal penalty on which Steenson
scored.
Although this win did not guarantee Leeds Carnegie safety from threat of being relegated, still they now have the opportunity to play another rugby game in Aviva Premiership against the New Castle Falcons at Kingston Parks, which can be labelled as the “Relegation
Decider.”
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