Exeter Chiefs thrash Sale Sharks to close gap at top of Premiership Women's Rugby table

Exeter Chiefs thumped a depleted Sale Sharks side 54-3 in Sunday’s Premiership Women’s Rugby clash at the CorpAcq Stadium.

The visitors ran in eight unanswered tries across a dominant 80-minute effort to consolidate their place in the top three of the PWR.

Exeter are now just a point behind Gloucester-Hartpury in second and are within two points of league leaders Saracens.

Sale remain eighth, just a point above Leicester Tigers at the foot of the table.

The Chiefs got off to the perfect start when Emily Tuttosi crossed the whitewash in the third minute, before winger Katie Buchanan and flanker Ebony Jefferies touched down in a clinical first-half display.

All Sale had to show for their efforts was Minori Yamamoto’s penalty as the hosts trailed 21-3 at the break and things went from bad to worse after the restart.

Harriet Millar-Mills secured the bonus point for Exeter before Buchanan grabbed her second of the game to put the result beyond doubt.

Hope Rogers dotted down in the 59th minute but there was still time for a late Chiefs flurry.

Taz Bricknell finished off a strong lineout drive and was then put over by Danielle Preece for a quick-fire brace in the closing 10 minutes to add the gloss to a brilliant performance.

Both sides face away games next, with Exeter taking on Bristol Bears and Sale facing Harlequins.

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