Braves 57 Gloucester 19
Exeter Braves 57
Gloucester United 19
Alfie Martin at Sandy Park
Exeter Braves moved back to the summit of the Southern Conference in this season's Premiership Rugby Shield with a comprehensive home win over Gloucester United.
Ricky Pellow's side dominated from start to finish, running in eight tries to preserve their 100 per cent record in this season's competition.
Having collected previous wins against Saracens Storm, Bath United and Bristol Bears, the Cherry & Whites struggled to handle the pace and power of the Devon outfit.
By half time the Braves had already collected the bonus point, courtesy of scores from Jack Maunder, Paul Davis, James McRae and Rus Tuima - and their dominance continued after the break as they added further tries from James Kenny, McRae, Barry Karea and Tuima.
Harvey Skinner completed the job for the home side, landing seven conversions and a penalty to finish with 17 points.
In reply, Gloucester claimed scores through Cam Terry, Jack Bartlett and Jack Reeves, two of which were converted by Dom Coetzer, but it was scant reward on an afternoon where they were distinctily second best.
Looking to build on recent victories in the Premiership Rugby Cup, the Braves paraded a healthy a mix of youth and experience in this re-arranged fixture.
And it didn’t take long for the Braves to get into their flow. Karea broke through the Gloucester defence, opening the door for captain Maunder to slide in under the posts. Skinner added the extras for first conversion of the afternoon.
The fly-half took to the tee just minutes later as a straying Gloucester defender was caught offside in the midfield, slotting a routine penalty from just outside the visiting 22.
The game was all Exeter’s in the first quarter as Gloucester found themselves starved of possession and points as the Braves creeped closer to the whitewash. Davis bundled over to honour Exeter their second converted score of the afternoon.
With 17 unanswered points on the board, Gloucester seemed to lack the momentum in the first half. But a driving maul flicked the switch as Terry etched his side’s first mark on the scoreboard with Coetzer converting.
This was followed up just minutes later when tight-head prop Bartlett stormed his way underneath the posts. After a less-than-perfect start to the game, the visitors were breathing down the necks of the home side in the blink of an eye.
The Braves weaved their way up field as Tuima stretched for the line in the far-left corner, but his foot was deemed in touch by assistant referee Andy Bickle. However, it wasn’t long until the hosts found their scoring shoes once more. McRae bagged his first of the afternoon, the No.8 on the back of a rumbling Exeter maul before Skinner obliged with the adding of the additional two points.
Gloucester's afternoon suffered further woe just before the break when Callum Allen was sent to the sidelines for a ten-minute stint, the lock penalised for hauling down the Braves pack in full flow just metres from his own line.
Taking full advantage of the extra man, the Braves capitalised with a bonus point score with the last play of the half. The towering frame of Tuima providing the finish from a well-executed five-metre line-out.
HALF TIME EXETER BRAVES 31 GLOUCESTER UNITED 14
Emerging from the break with an already-convincing advantage, the Braves looked to extend it further with a pulsating second-half effort. It didn’t take long for the Devonians to capitalise, Academy prop Kenny making his mark on the scoreboard before McRae followed in due time for his second of the afternoon.
An uninspiring passage of play ensued, both sides coughing up possession and making no real dents in their opponents’ defensive lines. However, ears pricked at the sight of another Gloucester sin-bin, Bartlett sent to the cooler by referee Ben Russell after a professional foul just yards from his own line.
Again, it didn't take Pellow's side long to make their numerical advantage pay, centre Karea carving his way through the heart of the Gloucester defensive line to take the home side past the half century mark.
From the restart, a complete hash-up in the home defence saw Reeves take advantage of the loose ball, the centre dotting down in the right corner to give the Cherry & Whites a rare moment of joy in this one-sided tussle.
With the game burning down to the dying embers, the Braves looked to put the seal on a polished performance. It came, again with virtually the final play of the game, the back line creating time and space for Karea to fire a ball out to Tuima on the right flank. Still with plenty to do, the young forward made light of the opponent in front of him, barging his way past him to score the eighth try.
Exeter Braves: J Snow (L Mehson 66), T O’Flaherty (S Cornish 62), M Bodilly, B Karea, J Short, H Skinner, J Maunder (C, S Maunder 52), J Kenny (D Southworth 58), P Davis (M Norey 52), A Petch (W Norton 62), R Tuima, J Caulfield (C Teague 70), D Ewers (L Pearson 58), S Lonsdale, J McRae.
Tries: J Maunder, P Davis, J McRae (2), R Tuima (2), Kenny, Karea; Conversions: Skinner (7); Penalty: Skinner
Gloucester United: R Dunn (F Pelser 77), J Morris (A Morgan 60), T Seabrook, J Reeves, H Purdy, D Coetzer (G Barton 60), B Vellacott (C, C Chapman 53), O Atkins (M Falkard 68), T Gleave (J Mullis 49), J Bartlett, C Allen, H Butler, L Ellis-Jones, A Hinkley (D Broady 68), C Terry.
Tries: C Terry, J Bartlett, Reeves; Conversions: D Coetzer (2)
Referee: B Russell
Attendance: 916
