Tigers score ten tries to crush Chiefs in Cup final

Exeter suffered their second defeat in the PREM Rugby Cup final in as many years

- JOHN EVELY

Tommy Reffell of Leicester Tigers lift the trophy following the PREM Rugby Cup final match at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium

(Jan Kruger)

XETER Chiefs suffered their second defeat in the PREM Rugby Cup final in as many years as a strong Leicester Tigers side blew them away 66-14 at Welford Road to claim the first silverware of the season.

Last year's final loss to Bath at Sandy Park saw coaches axed at Chiefs. Nothing so radical is likely to happen this year, despite a bigger margin of defeat with Exeter riding high in the Gallagher PREM and naming a young team for the final with more than one eye on the return to league action at home to Sale Sharks next Saturday.

With the likes of big guns Henry Slade, Greg Fisilau, Jack Yeandle and Olly Woodburn dropping out of the squad by choice, and with tighthead prop Jimmy Roots and powerhouse centre Ross Vintcent missing out with respective ear and foot injuries, Chiefs were blown away in the early exchanges by last season's beaten Gallagher PREM finalists who last lifted this trophy with victory over Exeter in the 2017 final.