Bath 16 Chiefs 43

Bath 16

Exeter Chiefs 43

Mark Stevens at the Recreation Ground

Exeter Chiefs produced a clinical second half display to sink rivals Bath in their final pre-season run-out ahead of the new Aviva Premiership season.

Trailing 16-14 at the turn, Rob Baxter’s side scored 29 unanswered points to ensure they lifted the inaugural Westcountry Challenge Cup with an unblemished record.

Converted first half tries from Luke Cowan-Dickie and the returning Dave Ewers were cancelled out by three Tom Homer penalties and his conversion of Matt Banahan’s try on the stroke of half time.

However, the second half belonged solely to the visitors, whose ruthless attacking edge, coupled with a miserly defensive nous saw them rewarded with tries for Damian Welch, Thomas Waldrom, James Short and Byron McGuigan.

Skipper Gareth Steenson and replacement Will Hooley shared the remainder of the points for the Chiefs, who will now have to switch their attentions to next week’s seasonal opener, ironically which is against Bath at the Recreation Ground once more.



With both sides parading powerful line-ups for this final pre-season encounter, it was Bath full-back Homer who broke the game’s deadlock on three minutes, slotting a penalty after the Chiefs had been penalised for dropping a scrum.

The home lead, though, proved shortlived as the Devonians gained the lead with their first meaningful foray into enemy territory. Steenson’s clever show-and-go saw him release Will Chudley; Ewers continued the drive forward before England international Cowan-Dickie squirmed over from close range for the converted try.

Bath responded brightly with centre Max Clark causing problems in the Chiefs rearguard with an electric break through the middle; before Homer slotted his second successful penalty after the visitors were again adjudged to have dropped a scrum.

The former London Irish back then tripled his tally for the game, slotting another long-range effort on 34 minutes after Baxter’s men were deemed not to have released at the tackle.

Undeterred, the Chiefs marched down field at the other end and snatched back the lead when Sam Hill’s rampaging run set the platform for Chudley to snipe through and feed Ewers, who did the rest to make it 14-9.

But as half-time approached, Bath stunned their rivals when Kyle Eastmond broke down the blindside, fed Banahan who, with little option but to chip in behind, then won the preceding sprint race to the line. Homer added the extras to give the hosts a slender lead.

The second half, though, was all about the Chiefs and having reclaimed the lead when Steenson slotted his latest penalty, they hit Bath with two tries in five minutes.

Welch was the first to cross, finishing off a great counter involving Dave Lewis, Steenson and James Short, before No.8 Waldrom added to the tally when he snuck over from a well-drilled line-out move.

With their tails up, the Chiefs duly went for the Bath jugular and added two late tries through the impressive Short and replacement McGuigan.

Bath: T Homer; M Banahan (L Arscott 63), M Clark, O Devoto (R Jennings 26), J Williams; K Eastmond, C Cook (J Evans h/t); N Auterac (K Palma-Newport 61), R Batty (T Dunn 55), H Thomas (M Lahiff 55); S Hooper (capt), D Attwood (T Ellis 65); M Garvey (M Northcote-Green 76), M Northcote-Green (Z Mercer 73), G Mercer. Replacements (not used): B Obano, J Evans,

Try - Banahan; Conversion - Homer; Penalties - Homer (3)

Chiefs: P Dollman (B McGuigan 75); M Jess (O Woodburn 53), I Whitten (M Bodilly 55), S Hill, J Short; G Steenson (capt, W Hooley 71), W Chudley (D Lewis 53); B Moon (A Hepburn 62), L Cowan-Dickie (J Yeandle 44), A Brown (M Low 55); M Lees (O Atkins 59), D Welch (J Hill 76); D Ewers (J Salvi 44), D Armand, T Waldrom (T Johnson 72). Replacements (not used): B Sturgess, S Malton, H Williams, J Hill, K Horstmann, H Thomas,

Tries - Cowan-Dickie, Ewers, Welch, Waldrom, Short, McGuigan; Conversions - Steenson (3), Hooley (2); Penalty - Steenson

Referee: T Foley

Attendance: 8,312