Chiefs triumph on home soil

By Mark Stevens
23/7/2016

Exeter Chiefs made the most of home advantage to book their place at Finals Night in this season’s Singha Premiership Rugby 7s.

Ricky Pellow’s side recorded bonus point victories over Bristol, Bath and Wasps to top Group B and advance to the Ricoh Arena on August 7.

Joining them will be hosts Wasps, who were the other qualifiers from a hugely entertaining afternoon at Sandy Park.

With both sides having earlier defeated Bath and Bristol with bonus point victories, it was the Chiefs who prevailed in the final game, winning 26-19 thanks to tries from skipper Sam Simmonds (2), Joe Simmonds and Max Bodilly.

Sam Simmonds (pictured) was the stand-out performer for the home side throughout the day, but throughout the squad there were other notable displays, which all augur well for their trip to Coventry next month.

Earlier in the day, the Chiefs kicked off their Sevens campaign with a comprehensive 36-5 victory over newly-promoted Bristol.

Playing in the competition for the first time, Bristol were no match for the Devonians who netted tries through Nick Mason (2), Bodilly (2), Sam Skinner and Tom Hendrickson.

Joe Simmonds kicked the remainder of the home points, while Bristol’s solitary reply came through former Plymouth Albion player Billy Searle.

Wasps opened up their account with a 36-21 win over Bath, which included a try double for former All Blacks star Frank Halai, and they followed it up by defeating Bristol 22-14 thanks in the main to touchdowns from skipper Josh Bassett (2), Conor Dolan and Craig Hampson.

The Chiefs maintained their impressive form as they raced into a 19-0 lead against Bath in their second game. Sam Simmonds scored twice, before Pete Laverick was the next to cruise over the whitewash.

Mason and Bodilly (pictured) added further tries after the break, while Bath countered with a solitary score from Alex Humfrey.

Game five saw Bristol record their one and only win, downing Bath 33-12 in a fairly one-sided encounter, before the Chiefs wrapped up proceedings with their third win in as many games against Wasps.

The Chiefs and Wasps have advanced to Finals Night alongside Cardiff Blues and Ospreys, who had advanced from the Welsh round of the competition just 24 hours earlier.