Nic Dolly, a double-try-scoring hooker, was making his second Premiership debut for Leicester
Gallagher Premiership Leicester (20) 34 Tries Steward, Potter Scott, Dolly 2, Ford 3 Pens Ford Exeter: (5) 19 Try: Armand Penalty, Hidalgo–Clyne Cons Skinner
To begin the new season, Leicester defeated Premiership runners-up Exeter by 34-19.
Tigers began strongly with Freddie Steward and Harry Potter trying to split a Don Armand score from close by.
Matt Scott came in just before the break to give the Tigers 15 more points. However, Exeter responded with a penalty try fifteen minutes later.
Two close-range Nic Dolly attempts secured a bonus-point win for Leicester, before Sam Hidalgo Clyne's late attempt.
This victory was Leicester's first in four years over Exeter and will bring great hope to Tigers fans, after many difficult seasons that saw Exeter miss a lot of opportunities.
Exeter was without their four British and Irish Lions players, as well as their injured forwards Jonny Gray and Dave Ewers. They looked disjointed when they started against a Leicester team that had a spring to their step.
Steward added George Ford's penalty from five meters out, following a multi-phase move which pulled the Chiefs defense all over the field while Nemani Nandolo battered them.
Nearly immediately, Exeter responded as Armand was forced to cross from a five-metre lineout. But Nandolo once again displayed his terrifying power, as he placed two Exeter defenders on ground. A run from just inside Chiefs' half was held up by five metres, while Potter went in from the next phase.
After Steward's chip took a nasty bounce, which led to the half-time disqualification of Jack Innard, Exeter hooker. Scott, on the other hand scored from one metre.
The visitors started the second period well. Tom O'Flaherty was held up at the line by Nandolo, while Henry Slade was stopped in the corner by Nandolo.
Exeter's pressure finally led to some points. Harry Wells was punished for pulling down a maul. But Steve Borthwick's team got the scoresheet, despite being one down. Dolly was able to go in from a 5-metre lineout.
With 18 minutes remaining, Exeter once again managed to score from close range. However, Dolly's second try in the opposite corner made them pay.
Sean Lonsdale was not allowed to play, having been in under the Leicester points. However, Exeter got a consolation try in 59 minutes as substitute scrum-half Sam Hidalgo–Clyne came through.
Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick told BBC Radio Leicester:
"I was pleased with the start. We have to be respectful of Exeter's loss of many players.
"So, we will take this result into account. There were some really great things in pre-season that were transferred, and some that haven’t. And there’s lots to improve upon.
"It was the number of penalties we gave them that allowed them to enter our 22.
"At the conclusion of last season, we were among the best league teams in terms of penalty count. We were also the most disciplined league team. It's clear that this is not the case today.
"So, there are many things to improve upon because it is very difficult for teams to win games if they give them so many chances."
Rob Baxter, Exeter director of rugby, spoke to BBC Radio Devon
"Every game that we lose is disappointing. I thought Leicester were very well-valued for their win in end.
"Obviously, the best thing for us is to keep moving forward and improving.
"It's not something I can say that we're going to learn from. It wasn't about that. The thing we have to do is to look at ourselves.
"I believe there are many things we can improve upon and we have to focus on that and continue to move on to the next week."
Leicester: Steward; Potter, Scott, Kelly, Nadolo; Ford, B Youngs; Genge (capt), Dolly, Cole, Wells, Green, Martin, Reffell, Liebenberg
Replacements:T Cowan-Dickie, Van Wyk, Leatigaga, Snyman, Chessum, Van Poortvliet, Burns, Porter
Exeter: Hodge; Nowell, Slade, Devoto, O'Flaherty; J Simmonds (capt), Maunder; Hepburn, Innard, Williams, Witty, Lonsdale, Kirsten, Armand, Tuima
Reaplacements:Yeandle, Moon, Nixon, McCauley, Tshiunza, Hidalgo-Clyne, Skinner, Hendrickson
