Match Report: Chiefs 35 Bears 40
The Chiefs fell to an agonising defeat at Sandy Park despite dominating for 65 minutes of the match, as Bristol Bears scored 4 tries in the final 15 minutes to snatch victory on Derby Weekend.
Exeter Chiefs came out of the blocks like a team with something to prove, and it was the forwards who combined to dent the Bears defence for the first time. Ross Vintcent accelerates onto the ball like another famous Chiefs number 8 of old, and it was his punch through the line that did the damage, offloading to Scott Sio for the Australian loosehead to drive into the opposition 22’. It may not have led to a try, but it was a strong opening salvo from the home side.
After a Josh Hodge penalty gave the Chiefs an early lead, the Bears hit back with the games opening try. Breaking down the blindside, big Joe Batley found space and offloaded infield to scrum-half Kieran Marmion who scampered in to score.
It wasn’t long before the Chiefs came racing back, Olly Woodburn scooping up a loose ball in the midfield and breaking downfield. Exeter went through the phases, pinning the visitors in their own 22. Eventually from a scrum on the right-hand side of the pitch, the Chiefs struck, swinging the ball from first phase across the field to Paul Brown-Bampoe who powered through full-back Rich Lane to score in the corner.
Chiefs tails were up, Ross Vintcent leading the defensive line to meet the Bears with fire and it was Brown-Bampoe with the next opportunity, leaping to gather a cross field kick, which just slipped through his grasp, no doubt however that the home team were dominant.
On the 25 minute mark, Harvey Skinner left the field for a HIA forcing the Chiefs into a backline reshuffle and the Bears were quick to take advantage. The team from up the M5 are known for their attacking prowess particularly in unstructured play. They strung the phases together moving the ball quickly from left the right and ultimately finding Joe Batley out wide who dived over, with MacGinty adding a tricking conversion. The score Chiefs 8 – 12 Bears.
If there is a player in recent years who has taken to rugby better than Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, we’re yet to see them. The Chiefs flyer loves scoring tries, and once again he exploded into this match.
Exeter worked the phases, pulling the Chiefs defence left and right, until Feyi-Waboso spotted his opportunity, collecting the ball at the base of a ruck and bursting through a gap, handing off the powerful Janse Van Rensburg, before storming his way to the line to close out the half with an important try.
Half-Time: Exeter Chiefs 15 – 12 Bristol Bears
Chiefs began the second 40 in the same vein as the first, carrying hard and forcing the Bears to work hard in defence. Sam Maunder was caught high as he sniped around the breakdown and Josh Hodge added the first points of the half from the tee.
Bristol began to work their way into the half, taxing the Chiefs defence and moving the ball with fluidity but the home side weren’t giving an inch. Rusi Tuima eventually bringing the end to the attack with a ferocious shot on Jake Woolmore, shuddering the loosehead prop and dislodging the ball in the process.
As Ethan Roots, Dan Frost and Will Goodrick-Clarke entered the fray the Chiefs fought their way forward once again. Held up initially over the line, Exeter came storming back. After some hard carrying from the pack, Franco Molina released Brown-Bampoe once more who out sprinted the covering defenders for his second score of the afternoon. The Chiefs 25-12 up on the hour mark.
It wasn’t long before the Chiefs were in again, with Feyi-Waboso refusing to be outdone by his opposite winger. The Exeter star plucking the ball out of the air from a floated pass and running 50m to dive spectacularly under the posts for the bonus point score.
Bristol Bears refused to throw in the towel, and following a Dan Frost yellow card, his opposite number Gabriel Oghre picked a gap to close the gap.
The visitors weren’t done there, some neat interplay allowed AJ MacGinty to float a crossfield kick into the path of Gabriel Ibitoye, who scored the first of two quick tries. The winger dotting down moments later off the back of an offload from Janse Van Rensburg that released the flying Bears star for his second in as many minutes. Bristol taking the lead 32 - 33 with ten minutes remaining on the clock.
In a chaotic half, the Chiefs retook the lead with just 5 minutes remaining, Josh Hodge kicking the points to give the home side a slender advantage.
However, it was Bristol Bears who had the last laugh, claiming the victory with a try at the death as Ibitoye claimed his hat-trick with another dart down the blindside to leave the Chiefs heading to Newcastle next weekend in need of a win.
Chiefs: J Hodge; I Feyi-Waboso, O Woodburn, J Hawkins (Hammersley 60'), P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, S Maunder (Cairns ’55); Scott Sio (Goodricke-Clarke 49’), J Yeandle (c) (Frost 49‘), M Street (Iosefa-Scott 40’), R Tuima, F Molina (J Dunne 68'); J Vermeulen (E Roots 49’), R Capstick, R Vintcent (G Fisilau 68').
Tries: P Brown-Bampoe (2), I Feyi-Waboso (2) Conversions: J Hodge (3) Penalty: J Hodge(3)
Yellow card: Dan Frost
Bears: R Lane; J Bates, J Jenkins, B Janse Van Rensburg, G Ibitoye; AJ Macginty, K Marmion; J Woolmore (E Genge 49’), G Oghre, M Lahiff, J Caulfield, J Batley, S Luatua (J Dun 40’ (B), S Grondona, F Harding.
Tries: Marmion, Batley, Oghre Ibitoye (3) Conversions: MacGinty (5)
Yellow card: Josh Caulfield
Attendance: 11,643
Referee: Matthew Carley