Bodilly 'gutted' at final loss

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs youngster Max Bodilly admitted he would happily have swapped his two late tries in Sunday’s LV= Cup final for that of a winners medal at Franklin’s Gardens.

In a gripping contest in Northampton, the Chiefs - who had won the Anglo-Welsh trophy just 12 months earlier at Sandy Park - valiantly fought their way back from a 20-6 deficit in the second period to level the game up with just a minute remaining.

Full-back Bodilly was at the heart of the Exeter revival as he claimed both their tries - converted by Gareth Steenson - to set up a grandstand finish.

With the game seemingly destined to head into extra time, Devon’s finest were denied right at the death when scrum-half Ben Spencer landed a penalty with the very last kick of the game to secure them the title.

Post-match, a gutted Bodilly reflected on the occasion, saying: “I wouldn’t have even dreamt about getting two tries, but I’d have traded them in all day long for the win. Unfortunately we didn’t get there in the end.

“A lot of the younger boys have got themselves up for it and shown that they’re in with a shout in the future. It’s been a really enjoyable campaign and it’s just a shame we fell one step short.”

Skipper Ceri Sweeney had earlier kicked two penalties for the Chiefs as they led 6-3 at half-time, but two tries from former England winger David Strettle and one from Nick de Jager put the Londoners ahead midway through the second period.

Bodilly, who is dual registered with the Cornish Pirates, hopes Exeter can reclaim the LV= Cup next season.

“It was really enjoyable and hopefully we’ll go one step further again next year,” he said. “It was an enjoyable game to play in, as it was just so topsy-turvy. We had them at times and then they put one over on us, it was just end-to-end stuff. Unfortunately we didn’t get there in the end.

“We showed a lot of heart and a lot of character. When we were two tries down, we could have just rolled over and let them have it but we didn’t, we stuck at it and eventually got ourselves in with a shout.”

The young Cornishman also reserved special praise for the Chiefs’ fans, saying: “The fans are a massive pick up. At two tries down they never became quiet, they kept us going.”