Bristol 13 Exeter Braves 45

Bristol United 13

Exeter Braves 45

Mark Stevens at Clifton RFC

Exeter Braves made it back-to-back wins in this season’s Aviva Premiership A League as they saw off local rivals Bristol United.

A strong second half display from the visitors paved the way for their latest success, which came courtesy of tries from Jack Maunder, Sam Simmonds, Byron McGuigan (2), Brett Sturgess, Harrison Cully and Stuart Townsend.

Young fly-half Joe Simmonds weighed in with the remainder of the points, pocketing five of his seven conversion attempts on the night.

In reply, Bristol scored a try in each half through Nick Carpenter and Anguy Slowik, whilst fly-half Callum Sheedy also knocked over a first half penalty.

With the Braves looking to build on their win last time out away to Bath, the Devonians again named a strong line-up for the short trek up the M5. Experienced No.8 Kai Horstmann led a pack which contained the likes of Brett Sturgess, Alex Brown and Ben White, whilst behind Rugby League convert Josh Jones was given another run-out alongside Namibian duo Byron McGuigan and Chrysander Botha.

It was, however, Bristol who started the brighter of the two sides, breaking the deadlock inside three minutes when a slick attack carved open the visitors, allowing skipper Carpenter to shake off the attentions of Jack Arnott to score.

Home joy proved short-lived, though, as within minutes the Braves had drawn level with a score of their own. Collecting the ball midway inside the Bristol half, former St Helens star Jones steamrollered his way over his opposite number, before delivering a delightful offload to the onrushing Maunder who scored with ease.

Young fly-half Joe Simmonds slotted the resultant conversion before adding the extras to Exeter’s second try, which duly arrived ten minutes later.

Having opted not to kick for goal with a penalty chance, they instead went for the corner, creating the platform for the visiting pack to combine as one to propel flanker Sam Simmonds for the try.

It was no more than Exeter deserved as they looked to crank up the gears, but instead of building on their early lead, they allowed themselves to slip into a sleepy slumber and gave Bristol a way back into the game.

Home fly-half Sheedy, who had failed to convert their opening try, made no mistake when he was afforded a second shot at the target, drilling a long-range penalty between the posts to make it 14-8.

Worse could have followed for the Braves as first Arnott came back to save the day, racing across the field to lap up a kick through. And then Bristol scrum-half Andy Uren almost caught the visitors napping with a quickly-taken penalty which had Exeter scrambling in defence.

HALF TIME    BRISTOL UNITED 8        EXETER BRAVES 14

On the resumption, it didn’t take the Braves to rediscover their scoring knack, adding their third try inside five minutes.

Strong running through the middle from the lively Jones helped to position the Braves to the Bristol 22 and with the referee playing an advantage, White was able to offload to McGuigan on his outside and he did the rest with a silky finish behind the posts. Simmonds again converting.

Now with the bonus point in their sight, the Braves looked to press home their advantage in all facets of the game. McGuigan again threatened with some fancy footwork from deep, whilst one significant rumble was adjudged to have been held up.

The wait for the all-important bonus point, though, was not long in coming. Having won a penalty, they again kicked for the left corner and to a man, the Exeter pack again assembled to drive Sturgess over the line for a fourth converted score.

Whereas in the first half the Braves were guilty of rushing their attack, there were no such issues this half with the forwards driving through at will - creating a platform from which the visiting backs could prosper.

Indeed, just before the hour the visitors continued their scoring spree, finishing off a well-crafted attack with McGuigan landing his second of the game, finishing off with aplomb in the left-hand corner.

To their credit, Bristol remained spirited in their own quest for points and it took a decent last-gasp tackle from Botha to deny Elias Caven as he looked to  pick his way through the Exeter defence.

Moments later and it was Stu Townsend who came to the rescue for the Braves, again denying Cavan, after he had been released by a clever midfield combination from Sheedy and Carpenter.

It was Bristol’s best spell of the half and with the home side going quick off a tap penalty, they fashioned a chance for Slowik to win the race for the line.

Any hopes of a home revival, though, were quickly extinguished as the Exeter pack ploughed back down field with a series of pick-and-go raids, before the ball was shipped through the hands of Joe Simmonds and Jones to Cully, who finished unopposed.

Even then there was still time for the Braves to add the icing on the cake, replacement Townsend sniping over from five metres out after more determined work from the Exeter eight.

 

Bristol United: A Slowik; E Caven, D Hudson, N Carpenter (capt), R Edwards; C Sheedy, A Uren; K Traynor, J Stephenson, D Spellman; A Sinclair, S Jeffreys; M Cresswell, M Crumpton, J Davies. Replacements: B Gompels, A Barron, A Giltrow, L Wolf, O Dunn, C Hampson, S Katz, C Mathews.

Tries - Carpenter, Slowik; Penalty - Sheedy

Exeter Braves: C Botha; B McGuigan, P Laverick, J Jones, J Arnott (H Cully 68); J Simmonds, J Maunder (S Townsend 50); B Sturgess, S Malton (J Innard 62), A Brown (J Andrew 75); J Hill, S Skinner; S Simmonds (J Sexton 50, E Holmes 62), B White, K Horstmann (capt). Replacement (not used): J Woolmore.

Tries - Maunder, S Simmonds, McGuigan (2), Sturgess, Cully, Townsend; Conversions - J Simmonds (5)

Referee: S Lewis.