Chiefs Women 41 Bears Women 0

The first try of the afternoon did eventually arrive in the 13th minute and it came from a close-range catch and drive line-out, which has become a potent attacking weapon for the Chiefs this season. It was unsurprisingly Irish international Moloney who emerged from the bottom of the pile, as she yet again showed her prowess at controlling the driving maul.

Despite threatening numerous times to break through the stubborn Bristol defence, the Chiefs just couldn’t find a way to covert the many opportunities they were creating into points, with just small errors creeping into their game at crucial moments. It was therefore no surprise that with 10 minutes to go before half time, McGoverne chose to have a shot at goal when the Bears were caught offside in midfield, and the Kiwi fly-half made no mistake from the tee.

With the attacking fluency not quite at the high levels now expected from this Chiefs side, it was left to the forwards to do the damage once more from another five-metre line-out, the maul going over the line like a steam train with Moloney yet again controlling it perfectly at the back to claim the five-pointer for the hosts.

HALF TIME: EXETER CHIEFS WOMEN 13 BRISTOL BEARS WOMEN 0

It didn’t take the Chiefs long to spark into life in the second half, with Australian international Cramer going over for her first try in Chiefs colours after Flo Robinson spotted a gap on the short side, before timing her pass perfectly for the winger to race clear.

The best try of the afternoon was certainly left to last however, as MacDonald produced an individual effort worthy of her world class status. The Red Roses star received the ball just inside her own half, before cutting inside and accelerating away, and with just the Bristol full-back to beat there was no competition, as MacDonald rounded Courteny Keight superbly to dot down underneath the sticks.

The kicking from the tee was exemplary in the second half, with McGoverne kicking three from three, and Cantorna landing her only attempt of the game after McGoverne had been replaced.

The final 15 minutes became somewhat disjointed, with mistakes becoming a key feature of both sides play, however by this stage the knock-out blow had very much been delivered by the Chiefs and there was to be no coming back for Bristol, who with their long injury list were seemingly unable to offer a huge amount in attack.

The Chiefs having secured their seventh victory in a row will next week travel to struggling Wasps who are without a win this season, in what will no doubt be a great opportunity for Appleby to showcase the strength in depth within this remarkable squad.

Chiefs: M Doidge; L Cramer, K Zackary, G Cantorna, C MacDonald; L McGoverne (R Wilkins 66), F Robinson (B Bradley 69); H Rogers (S Turani 52), C Moloney (E Tuttosi 43), D Menin (C Jacoby 64); N Fryday (G Senft 62) P Leitch (capt, L Van Der Velden 62); E Jefferies, E McMahon (N McGillivray 58) R Johnson.