Bears 14 Chiefs 50
Bristol Bears 14
Exeter Chiefs 50
Mark Stevens at Ashton Gate
It must be something about Exeter Chiefs and Ashton Gate in the month of October.
Almost two years to the day after claiming their biggest prize, the Heineken Champions Cup, the Devonians were exiting BS3 with another memorable victory, this time against hosts Bristol Bears in the Gallagher Premiership.
Rob Baxter’s side produced a stellar showing in this much-anticipated Westcountry derby, bullying the Bears into submission with a seven-try display that certainly augurs well for the future.
This was a brutal battering from the Chiefs. Not only were they dominant, but they were physical, they were powerful, they were ruthless in the extreme.
Wingers Olly Woodburn and Jack Nowell led the way with try doubles in each half, whilst Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ruben Van Heerden added the icing on the cake with second half scores of their own.
Bristol, who had started the contest firmly on the front-foot, even scoring an early try through Toby Fricker could do little to halt the rampant Chiefs. A second half touchdown from Will Capon gave them another rare highlight, but that was scant reward on a night when they were distinctly second best.
Having come unstuck for the first time this season at Sale Sharks last time out, the Chiefs made the short trek up the M5 looking to rediscover their winning formula at the first attempt. And just as they had done the previous week, they again rotated their options, making seven changes in personnel to their starting line-up.
Like the Chiefs, the Bears were also looking to bounce back from defeat a week ago - and they were buoyed by the return of some notables names, including Charles Piutau, Callum Sheedy, Harry Randall and Ellis Genge.
It was an impressive mix of talent on display, but it was the Bears who came out roaring at the start of the game. Having declined two kickable penalties at goal, they opted instead to go for the corner and greater reward.
Fly-half Sheedy put them in prime position with his boot, setting up a five-metre line-out from which they could attack. The Chiefs, however, knew what was coming and did well to repel the early raids of the Bristolians.
Indeed, it looked as though their hammer-like defence had done enough, only for Sheedy to somehow find Fricker wide on the right with an audacious, cross-field kick as the Chiefs defence rushed up in his face. The winger gobbled up possession and easily crossed in the corner for the opening try, which was converted with aplomb by Sheedy.
The Bears were certainly showing their claws during the opening exchanges, a point underlined when Genge hit Christ Tshiunza with a thunderous hit just inside the Chiefs half. However, the England prop would blot his copybook just minutes later when he was shown yellow for a high hit on Jonny Gray as he looked to clear a ruck.
With the man advantage, the Chiefs wasted little time in making Genge pay. Joe Simmonds drilled the penalty to the corner and when Richard Capstick took the line-out with a superb, one-handed catch, the ball was worked wide to the right where Nowell was waiting to touchdown.
Simmonds slotted the conversion to go alongside an earlier penalty, before he added the extras to Exeter’s second try, which arrived just before the half-hour mark through Woodburn. The winger was the beneficiary of another slick Chiefs attack, latching onto a missed pass from Slade to score in the corner.
The scoreline was a fair reflection of the Chiefs dominance, but it would be the Bears who would look to finish the half the stronger. Heavy pressure from Pat Lam’s side had their rivals scrambling in defence, but each time Exeter were able to hold firm with an impressive rearguard action.
HALF TIME: BRISTOL BEARS 7 EXETER CHIEFS 17
On the resumption, early pressure had the Chiefs back on the offensive as they sought a third try of the night. Another penalty award allowed them to set-up camp deep in the Bears 22, but as they drove for the try-line, it was deemed the visitors had knocked on in the process of touching the ball down.
They threatened again moments later, South African lock Jannes Kirsten leading the charge through the middle with one of his trademark, heavyweight carries. Again, though, the chance came and went as the Bears looked to cling on under the mounting pressure.
Undeterred, the Chiefs continued to press forward in attack and having won another penalty - aided by some back chat from Genge - the visitors used the resultant set-piece to drive in field, before a stunning switch of play let the Bears exposed and Woodburn the room to dive over for his second of the night.
Just like they were against Harlequins earlier this season, the Chiefs were in cruise control. However, unlike that day - where they had to pull off some last-gasp heroics - there was to be no such worries this time round as Nowell extended their lead, the England international picking a lovely line through the heart of the home defence after his packed had literally punched them into submission with countless heavyweight carries.
Both scored were converted by Henry Slade, who had now taken on the kicking duties in place of Simmonds, who was starting to cramp up.
The shell-shocked Bears and their fans were looking for answers and a semblance of comfort from what was fast proving a dismal night at the office for them. Fricker threatened again with one break-out carry down the right, but Woodburn was able to race back and floor his opposite number as he looked poised to pounce.
To their credit, they kept plugging away and having won a penalty, which they kicked to the corner, they worked the ball back inside off the line-out to create the maul that allowed Capon to drive over for their second converted score.
The majority inside Ashton Gate rejoiced the score, but that would be their last moment of magic as the Chiefs bludgeoned their Westcountry counterparts into submission in the final quarter of the match.
The sheer physicality and desire been shown by the Chiefs was something to behold, but it was also highly effective as first Cowan-Dickie picked off a Chris Vui pass to race in under the sticks, quickly followed by Van Heerden who claimed his first score in Exeter colours when he burrowed over from close range.
Bristol’s night was not get any easier as straight from the restart, centre Piers O’Conor became the second Bear to be shown yellow, his speedy charge in pursuit of the ball was deemed reckless as he collided into Tshiunza in mid-air.
Again, within two minutes, the Chiefs rounded off their night with their final score. The forward once again laid the platform with some robust carries, before the ball was spun out to Harvey Skinner, whose cross-field kick fell invitingly into the path of Capstick, who stepped inside to score with ease.
It was not only ruthless efficiency from the Chiefs, but their performance was one that will certainly make their rivals across the division sit up and take note.
Bristol Bears: C Piutau (J Bates 71); T Fricker (J Woolmore 22-29), P O’Conor, S Bedlow, R Lane; C Sheedy (AJ MacGinty 58), H Randall (T Whiteley 32-39, 57); E Genge (J Woolmore 71), W Capon (J Kerr 63), K Sinckler (M Lahiff 58); J Hawkins (E Holmes 58), J Joyce; C Vui, J Heenan (capt, D Thomas 40), M Bradbury.
Tries - Fricker, Capon; Conversion - Sheedy, MacGinty
Yellow Cards: Genge, O’Conor
Exeter Chiefs: S Hogg (H Skinner 50); J Nowell, H Slade, R O’Loughlin, O Woodburn; J Simmonds (S Kata 71), J Maunder (S Maunder 58); A Hepburn (J Iosefa-Scott 58), J Yeandle (capt, L Cowan-Dickie 52), H Williams (P Schickerling 58); J Kirsten (R Van Heerden 52), J Gray; J Vermeulen (D Ewers 62), C Tshiunza, R Capstick.
Try - Nowell (2), Woodburn (2), Cowan-Dickie, Van Heerden, Capstick; Conversions - J Simmonds (3), Slade (3); Penalty - J Simmonds
Referee: C Ridley
Attendance: 19,365