Match report: Exeter Chiefs 39-12 Gloucester

Exeter Chiefs executed another bonus-point victory at Sandy Park on Saturday afternoon as Gloucester Rugby were held scoreless in the second half of the Round Five meeting.

Standout performer Henry Slade joined a prestigious club as his brace of tries, three conversions and two penalties took him past 1,000 Chiefs points.

It took five minutes of action for Chiefs to get the first five points on the board. With a lineout on the Gloucester five-metre line, a strong maul-drive from the pack forced hooker Joseph Dweba over the line at the base. Slade slotted the conversion in the mid-afternoon sunshine to add two points.

To the chagrin of the home crowd, Gloucester responded immediately. Winger Jack Cotgreave evaded multiple tackle attempts to run the ball from his own 22. Giving a final pass in the Chiefs 22 to Will Joseph, the centre dotted the ball down over his. Ross Byrne took the simple conversion to even up the score.

Patience and far from conventional off-loads got Chiefs a second score. Utilising the full width of the 22, a chip to the wing for Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was the catalyst. After multiple phases, his England teammate Slade finished the score with a carry from two metres out. The centre converted his own score.

Feyi-Waboso didn’t have to wait long for a try of his own. Fed ball on the edge of the Gloucester 22, he goose-stepped his way around and barged through defenders to score one-handed in the corner. With the conversion, Slade officially passed 1,000 points.

Gloucester narrowed the gap when Freddie Thomas barged over from short range after teammate Cotgreave was manhandled away from the line by Feyi-Waboso. The wind picked up Byrne’s conversion attempt.

Slade added another three points to his illustrious tally with a penalty eight minutes out from half-time to keep the scoreboard ticking over for Chiefs.

Chiefs had a bonus-point securing try chalked off with a minute left of the half when an offload from Rusi Tuima which released Len Ikitau was judged to be forward on TMO review.

There was still time for points, however. When awarded a penalty from the scrum on Gloucester’s 10-metre line, Slade elected for a shot at goal. With the kick, he put his side two converted tries ahead at the break.

Half-time: Chiefs 27 – 12 Gloucester

There was a heroic effort from the Chiefs’ defensive line to stand solidly between Gloucester and the Exeter try-line at the outset of the second half. There was a period of sustained pressure from George Skivington’s men, but the Chiefs pack doggedly dug in to deny their opposition any points.

Slade put the finishing touch on his day with a brace at 70 minutes. Fed ball in the five-metre channel, he had two men to beat. Chipping a kick along the turf, he dove upon it for five points before receiving a standing ovation as he was replaced by Ben Hammersley.

Showing Slade wasn’t the only member of the old-guard who still knew his way to the try-line, club captain Jack Yeandle scored the final try of the day for Chiefs.

Denied his first try which was disallowed on review, the hooker loaded up with latchers to go again and was not to be denied at the second time of asking. With Slade no longer on the field, Josh Hodge stepped up to curl the conversion round for the full set of points.

Thus, after the first block of league action, Chiefs secured a third bonus point win. Rob Baxter’s men continue to steadily remain in the fight at the higher end of the league table.

Full-time: Chiefs 39 – 12 Gloucester

Chiefs: J Hodge; I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade (Hammersley 74’), L Ikitau, O Woodburn; H Skinner (Haydon-Wood 76’), S Varney (Chapman 74’); S Sio (Burger 63’), J Dweba (Yeandle 63’), J Iosefa-Scott (Tchumbadze 63’), D Jenkins (c), R Tuima (Zambonin 63’), T Hooper, E Roots, G Fisilau (James 70’).

Tries: Dweba, Slade 2, Feyi-Waboso, Yeandle Conversions: Slade 3, Hodge Penalties: Slade 2

Gloucester: C Atkinson; B Redshaw (Barton 64’), W Joseph (Knight 30’), M Llewellyn, J Cotgreave; R Byrne, T Williams; C Knight (Blueler 55’), S Blake (Innard 61’), N Laulala (Fasogbon 40’), F Thomas, M Alemanno, J Basham, J Venter (Mann 26’), H Bokenham (Jordan 61’).

Unused replacements: Englefield

Tries: Joseph, Thomas Conversions: Byrne

Referee: Adam Leal