Exeter Chiefs' winless start to the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership continued on Saturday with the Devon side going down 28-10 to Sale Sharks away in the wet and wind at the Salford Community Stadium.

With the halfway point of the league season approaching next weekend when Chiefs host Gloucester at Sandy Park, Exeter find themselves rock bottom of the Premiership table.

Centre Luke James and full-back Joe Carpenter scored first-half tries before a penalty try and Jonny Hill’s score gave Alex Sanderson’s men a five-point haul to maintain their 100 percent home record this season. Rob Baxter’s visitors, who scored one try through replacement prop Jimmy Williams and five points from the boot of Henry Slade, also lost England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to a shoulder injury during the first half.

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Exeter director of rugby Baxter made a number of changes to his side following last Sunday’s thumping 64-21 home defeat against Toulouse in the Champions Cup. Scott Sio and Marcus Street returned to the side at loosehead and tighthead prop respectively. Dafydd Jenkins continued his injury return from surgery on his knee and shoulder in the summer to make his first start of the campaign in the second row. Ethan Roots started at blindside flanker with Ross Vintcent moving to the openside to accommodate Greg Fisilau at number eight while Stu Townsend and Henry Slade continued their half-back partnership, but the changes were to no avail.

Raffi Quirke, making his start of the season, made a lively start as Sale’s playmaker but try-scoring opportunities were scarce in the opening exchanges. The Sharks conceded a penalty in the seventh minute for hold on, with Jenkins getting over the ball after a chop tackle from Roots, which Slade sent between the posts to make it 3-0.

Yet Sale steadied themselves and began to enjoy some possession in Exeter territory before finally breaching Exeter’s line in the 22nd minute. It came after good work from Quirke and Ben Curry and culminated in James backing himself to beat Fisilau on the outside to burst through a gap to score.

Rob du Preez added the conversion to make it 7-3 in Sale’s favour and Exeter’s cause was not helped when Feyi-Waboso departed through injury. Sale then scored their second try in the 36th minute when full-back Carpenter collected a loose ball just inside his own half and showed blistering pace to race clear to score.

Du Preez added his second conversion to make it 14-3 at the break and 10 minutes after the interval Sale were awarded a penalty try from a driving maul which saw Exeter captain Jenkins sinbinned for illegally trying to stop the moving mass of bodies.

Exeter showed spirit and Jimmy Roots barged over from close range for their only try following a sustained barrage of the line, which Slade converted, but former Chief Hill went over late on for Sale’s fourth to clinch the bonus point and Du Preez again converted.

Sale Sharks: 15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Luke James, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Raffi Quirke, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. JL du Preez, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Dan du Preez.

Replacements: 16. Tadgh McElroy, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Ben Bamber, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Waisea Nayacalevu, 23. Tom O’Flaherty.

Exeter Chiefs: 15. Tommy Wyatt, 14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13. Ben Hammersley, 12. Tamati Tua, 11. Olly Woodburn, 10. Henry Slade, 9. Stu Townsend; 1. Scott Sio, 2. Dan Frost, 3. Marcus Street, 4. Dafydd Jenkins (c), 5. Franco Molina, 6. Ethan Roots, 7. Ross Vintcent, 8. Greg Fisilau

Replacements: 16. Jack Innard, 17. Kwenzo Blose, 18. Jimmy Roots, 19. Richard Capstick, 20. Jacques Vermeulen, 21. Will Becconsall, 22. Will Haydon-Wood, 23. Josh Hodge.

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace and John Meredith

TMO: Peter Allan