Sale rugby union team that defeated by Exeter in a very close match. A Chris Budgen try helped the Chiefs into a 10-9 half-time lead, with Nick Macleod kicking all of Sale’s points.
Exeter’s Tom Johnson touched down after the restart, but Sale promptly hit back with a score from winger Rhys Crane.
A try from Andrew Higgins put Exeter two scores ahead, from where they held on despite late Sale pressure.
In bitter conditions at Sandy Park, Sale struck first with an early Macleod penalty before Davis restored parity with a place kick of his own shortly afterwards.
The game’s opening try came on 15 minutes, veteran prop Budgen emerging with the ball after Exeter had produced a superb driving maul from a line-out on 18 metres.