Chiefs U18s 45 Harlequins U18s 0

 

By Mark Stevens
14/2/17

Exeter Chiefs Under-18s were back to their ruthless best at the weekend, brushing aside the attentions or previously unbeaten Harlequins to win 45-0 in their latest Academy Under-18s League fixture.

Undone the week previous at home to Saracens, Rob Gibson’s young side dominated from start to finish at Flowerpot Playing Fields, ensuring at the same time they qualified in second spot for Academy Finals Day.

Prop Marcus Street set the ball rolling for the home side, claiming their opening try on five minutes when he rumbled over from a close-range pick-and-go drive.

Fly-half Gwyn Parks, who has been outstanding all season from the kicking tee, added the extras to that score, before adding a penalty on 15 minutes to stretch Exeter’s lead to 10-0.

Despite the wet conditions, the Chiefs continued to dominate and they added two more converted tries to stretch their lead to 24-0 at the break.

Scrum-half Joe Snow, back in the side after two weeks with Exeter’s first team squad in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, claimed the first of those scores, sniping off a ruck to race over in the right corner, before Street added a second of the game with another drive from five metres out.

Gibson’s side continued to dominate in the second half, claiming the bonus point on 47 minutes when winger Jake Penprase jumped in to join the forwards and force his way over from close range.

Parks kicked the conversion to that score and Exeter’s final two tries, which came courtesy of Will Ridout and AJ Cant, the latter producing a stunning finish from deep inside his own half.

Gibson (pictured) said: “After the previous week [against Saracens] we wanted to see a response from the guys – and we got that from them from minute one on the day.  As a team they knew they hadn’t performed to the standard required against Sarries and they wanted to put it right.

“At the same time, there was also a real danger that we may not qualify for Finals Day and that would have been harsh given what we have done for a large part of the season.

“Those factors alone gave the guys a real mindset to go out and really attack the game. Some of the rugby we produced, especially in the tough conditions, was fantastic and as a coaching staff we could not have asked for anymore from the players.”

Exeter’s victory means they will face Wasps in Thursday’s Academy Finals Day at Worcester (2:30pm).

Chiefs: F Marks; J Penprase, O Gibbon, J Elderkin, AJ Cant; G Parks, J Snow (capt); D Southworth, B Phillips, M Street; J Parker Cooke, L Pearson; C Wright, W Gibson, R Tuima. Replacements: W Ridout, D Martin, A Petch, T Clarke, M Norey, H Jones, D Jewsbury, J Tucker.