Chiefs U18s 19 Bath U18s 14

Exeter Chiefs U18s 19

Bath U18s 14

Alfie Martin at Tregye

Exeter Chiefs Under-18s made it back-to-back victories in this season’s Premiership Rugby Under-18s League with a hard-fought victory over Bath at Tregye.

Keen to build on their 38-10 victory over Bristol last time out, it was the strength of the Chiefs pack that paved the way for their latest success.

Tries from Alfie Petch, Elliot Salt and Rus Tuima, two of which were converted by fly-half Olly Toomey, proved just enough for the hosts to see off their local rivals.

Battering winds and rain showers throughout the morning meant conditions in the Duchy were never going to be easy, but it was the Chiefs who started the game the brighter, taking the lead inside four minutes.

Strong carries from Luke Flack and Ollie Andrews got the Chiefs to within five metres of the Bath line, before tight-head prop Petch powered over the whitewash for the first try of the game which was converted by Toomey.

Having been given the perfect start, the Chiefs continued to press forward in attack through live-wire skipper Richard Capstick. However, turnover ball allowed Bath to gain possession, turning defence into attack and creating the opening for fly-half Tom De Glanville to snipe through for a try, which he also converted.

The remainder of the first half saw possession switch frequently, with slippery conditions causing havoc for the backs. Exeter were presented with a decent opportunity down the right-hand wing, but this was disrupted well by the Bath defence who scrambled sufficiently to snuff out the threat

HALF TIME: EXETER CHIEFS 7 BATH RUGBY 7

Although the overhead conditions improved after the break, underfoot it remained greasy and it was left to the respective packs to do the donkey work in terms of trying to glean crucial territory down field.

Slowly, the Chiefs again started to find their rhythm and on 50 minutes they regained their lead with a second converted score. Charging runs from the likes of Tuima and Flynn Elworthy put the home side deep into the Bath 22, the fruits of which set-up replacement prop Salt to force himself over the line.

Bath were far from finished, however, and just five minutes later they drew level for a second time when outside centre Miles Gilbert found his way onto the scoreboard. De Glanville stunned spectators after the ball fell of his tee, forcing him to take a split-second drop-kick from far out. The ball, though, soared between the posts, levelling the game up at 14-14.

As both sides looked to inject some fresh talent into the mix, it was the Chiefs who gained the ascendancy entering into the final quarter. Sam Maunder, younger brother of Chiefs star Jack, was very much to the fore in his role as scrum-half, barking orders to his pack who in turn got the hosts back on the front foot.

With decent territory gleaned and possession firmly in the favour of the Chiefs, pick-and-go efforts from Salt and Lewis Pearson set the stage for Exeter’s third try, which came from the trusted hands of Tuima.

It was to prove the winning score for the Chiefs, who must now ready themselves for a testing trip to Allianz Park to face Saracens on Friday night (7:30pm).

Chiefs: D Lilley (L Flack 57); K Atkinson (D Jewsbury, F Scardamaglia, L Flack (R Weeks 45), A Hill; O Toomey J Tait (S Maunder 35); O Andrews (H Trudgill 32), W Ridout, A Petch (E Salt 45); L Pearson, J Parker-Cook (C Teague 45); F Elworthy (J Clemson 65), R Capstick (capt), R Tuima

Tries - Petch, Salt, Tuima; Conversions - Toomey (2)

Bath: L Mehson (M Ojomoh 62); E Hutt, M Gilbert, W Butt (capt), O McNulty; T De Glanville, B Mead (F French 62); G Bamsey (J Guest 45), Sam Elrick (R Murchison 53), Simon Elrick (A Griffin 45); C Moore, T Jeanes; A Chenoweth (L Wort 53), W Henry (H Swinburne 53), N Merigan

Tries - De Glanville, Gilbert; Conversions - DeGlanville (2)

Referee: S Cox