Gloucester 38 Chiefs 22
Gloucester 38
Exeter Chiefs 22
Mark Stevens at Kingsholm
Exeter Chiefs saw their Gallagher Premiership hopes struck down with several flashes of ‘Rees-Lightning’ as Gloucester took the bragging rights in this Friday Night thriller at Kingsholm.
Welsh sensation Louis Rees-Zammit produced a man-of-the-match display for the hosts as George Skivington’s side ran riot with a five-try victory over their Westcountry rivals.
The winger was at his scintillating best, scoring one and helping set up two more, as the Cherry & Whites condemned the Chiefs to a third league loss of the season.
Rees-Zammit set his side on their way, whilst there were further touchdowns for Santiago Carreras, Santiago Socino, Charlie Chapman, Ryan Ackermann and Lewis Ludlow, to go alongside eight points from the boot of Adam Hastings.
The Chiefs - who were competitive throughout - looked well placed at the break after first half scores for Jack Maunder and Ruben Van Heerden, but when push came to shove after the interval, their scant reward was a solo touchdown for the returning Josh Hodge.
Having been undone at the death the previous week by leaders Saracens, Baxter was forced into change for this latest encounter with the Cherry & Whites. International call-ups robbed him of the services of England stars Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds and Henry Slade, but there were first starts of the season for Lewis Pearson, Hodge and summer signing Scott Sio.
Gloucester too were missing their England contingent of Jack Singleton, Val Rapava Ruskin and Jonny May, but they were able to call upon Ben Morgan for the first time this season at No.8. Other changes saw Lloyd Evans, Harry Elrington, Santiago Socino and Cameron Jordan also in from the outset.
Despite the re-jig in personnel, it was the Chiefs who came out firing in front of a packed out Kingsholm. Just there minutes had elapsed when Skinner stroked them in front with a long-range penalty after Socino and Jordan had both strayed offside in midfield.
However, away-day cheers proved short-lived as within a minute the hosts were up and running themselves with the game’s opening try. The Chiefs had secured the restart and made their way up to halfway, but when Skinner attempted to chip over the top, Socino charged down his kick and Charlie Chapman was quickest to react.
With the ball loose on the deck, home scrum-half fly-hacked the ball in behind the Chiefs defensive line, instigating a sprint race in which there was only ever going to be one winner. ‘Rees-Lightning’ as he’s known in these parts, applied the after burners, and although Hodge did his best to pressure him, the winger had the edge and was able to dot down. Hastings obliging with the additional two points with an excellent touchline conversion.
Moments later and the hosts thought they were in again, only for the officials to haul play back for a knock on by Socino after Skinner had again been charged down as he looked to clear his line.
Threat averted, it was the turn of the Chiefs to once again flex their muscles in attack. Having punted a penalty deep into the Gloucester 22, the visitors used the resultant line-out to drive for the line. The initial drive was held well by the home side, but when the ‘Men in White’ recycled the ball, it was Maunder who sniped from the back and cross in the corner for the converted score.
It was nip-and-tuck stuff from both sides, who appeared happy to use their respective packs to bulldoze their way through the middle, before the ball would go wide.
Gloucester twice threatened with close-range line-outs, but on both occasions the Chiefs were well grouped and formed an impressive defensive wedge between them and the try-line.
Home pressure, though, was mounting and when a cross-field kick from Hastings almost put Rees-Zammit in for his seconds, the Cherry & Whites worked the ball from right to left into the grasp of Carreras who made no mistake.
Again, the Chiefs were quick to respond and with debutant Sio looking lively, particularly in the loose, they made the most of a strong carry through the middle from the Aussie prop to create the platform for Van Heerden to burrow his way over for his second try of the campaign. Skinner again converted to put his side up by five on the half-hour mark.
For the neutrals, it was providing a brilliant night of entertainment, but for the respective defence coaches there was plenty to ponder. Indeed, with half time fast approaching, it was Gloucester who stole back in front when, from another line-out drill, they created the opening for Socino to power over, Hastings converting.
HALF TIME: GLOUCESTER 19 EXETER CHIEFS 17
It was just the spark the home side would have craved before the break and they got another within two minutes of the restart as the speed of Carreras down the left saw him scythe through two defenders before slipping the simplest of passes inside for the onrushing Chapman to race over. Hastings again converted to make it a maximum return for Gloucester.
The Chiefs looked to counter almost immediately, but twice they were thwarted in quick succession. First, skipper Jack Yeandle was pinged for holding on in the Gloucester 22, before Dave Ewers coughed up possession as the visitors looked to implement their multi-phase attack on their Westcountry rivals.
It was powerful stuff form Gloucester in defence and when they had the chance to work their way back down field, so they showed the Chiefs how it should be done with their fifth try of the night.
With the hosts camped deep behind enemy lines, they turned down a perfectly kickable penalty from in front of the Exeter posts in pursuit of greater reward. It was a tactic which paid off handsomely as they used the tap penalty to set up a series of pick-and-go drives, the fruits of which were rewarded with a score for Ackermann.
Exeter coaches had seen enough and they turned to their bench in hope of some response. Jack Innard, Alec Hepburn and Sam Maunder were all thrown into the fray as the visitors looked to claw back the 14-point deficit entering into the last quarter.
The fresh impetus appeared to have the desired effect as the Chiefs rallied with one thunderous driving maul. It seemed destined for the line, only for it to be foiled by the actions of Gloucester replacement Albert Tuisue. He was dispatched to the sin-bin, but referee Adam Leal adjudged no further sanction.
No sooner had the Fijian forward taken his step on the naughty step, then the Chiefs made the numbers game pay. Working the ball off a five-metre scrum, Dan John and O’Loughlin combined to create the time and space for Hodge to step his way back inside and over for the score.
It was the lifeline the Chiefs had craved, but almost immediately they shot themselves in the foot. With Gloucester back on the offensive, the loss of centre Ian Whitten for a high hit in midfield saw the Northern Irishman sent to the cooler and the hosts afforded golden opportunity. Thankfully, the visiting pack came to the rescue, producing some sterling work in thwarting the dangerous home maul.
At the other end, the Chiefs threatened again, winning a penalty just inside the Gloucester half. Like Gloucester, they declined the kick at goal, instead hoping for a bonus point score. Sadly, it was not to be as the hosts swallowed up their attacking threat, before hitting them with one final sucker punch.
Picking up from the base of a ruck on the Chiefs 10m line, Ben Meehan fed the galloping Rees-Zammit who raced clear, before drawing in the cover and slipping the ball to his skipper, Ludlow, who won’t get an easier ride to the line this season. Hastings obliged with the testing kick from out wide to hammer the final nail into Exeter’s coffin.
Gloucester: L Evans; L Rees-Zammit, C Harris, G Kveseladze (J Reeves 67), S Carreras; A Hastings, C Chapman (B Meehan 67);H Elrington, S Socino, F Balmain (K Gotovtsev 64); F Clarke, C Jordan (M Alemmano 59); R Ackermann, L Ludlow (capt), B Morgan (A Tuisue 59). Replacements: H Walker, C Knight, T Seabrook.
Tries - Rees-Zammit, Carreras, Socino, Chapman, Ackermann, Ludlow; Conversion - Hastings (4)
Yellow Card: Tuisue
Chiefs: S Hogg; J Hodge, R O’Loughlin, I Whitten, O Woodburn (D John h/t); H Skinner (J Simmonds 36) J Maunder (S Maunder 58); S Sio (A Hepburn 58), J Yeandle (capt, J Innard 58), H Williams (J Iosefa-Scott 78); R Van Heerden (J Dunne 67), J Gray; D Ewers (C Tshiunza 78(, L Pearson, J Vermeulen.
Tries - J Maunder, Van Heerden, Hodge; Conversions - Skinner (2); Penalty - Skinner
Yellow Card: Whitten
Referee: A Leal
Attendance: 15,500