Gloucester 0 Braves 62

Gloucester United 0

Exeter Braves 62

Mark Stevens at Royal Wootten Bassett RFC

Exeter Braves made it a perfect six from six in this season’s Aviva A League as they comprehensively saw off rivals Gloucester at Royal Wootton Bassett

Ricky Pellow’s side dominated from start to finish, running in eight tries and cementing their place at the summit of the Southern Group heading into the New Year.

Fly-half Joe Simmonds led the way for the visitors, scoring a try and adding a further 22 points with a faultless display of kicking in difficult conditions.

Alongside him, Moray Low, Sal M’Boge, Elvis Taione (2), Ed Holmes, Harrison Cully and James McRae also found their way over the whitewash to complete a highly satisfactory night's work for the men from Devon.

Turning out for the final time in 2017, it was a powerful Braves line-up, led by England international Jack Maunder, that took to the field for this pre-Christmas encounter in Wiltshire.

Looking to pick up from where they left off against Saracens last time out, the visitors wasted little time in kicking into gear. Just two minutes had elapsed when Simmonds fired them in front with a routine penalty after Gloucester were pinged for straying offside in midfield.

Minutes later and Simmonds was again on target, this time slotting the extras to Exeter’s opening try. Strong carries from Maunder, Ollie Atkins and James Freeman set the attacking platform from which Scottish international Low was able to plough over from close range.

It was just the start Pellow would have craved from his side, but it would get even better as Simmonds slotted a second penalty, before he then picked off a pass deep inside his own 22 before galloping almost the length of the field to outpace Jacob Morris and score the try, which he also converted from wide on the left flank.

The Cherry & Whites - buoyed on by a decent Monday night crowd - did their best to try and summon a response of sorts, but it was the Braves who showed their killer instinct, adding a third try just past the half hour mark.

Exeter University James McRae instigated the attacking raid with a marauding run down the left flank, before he linked with Maunder and then Hendrickson to get the Braves firmly on the front foot. With the hosts scrambling in defence, the ball was worked masterfully from one side of the field to the other to send M’Boge over in the right corner for the converted score.

Keen to try and wrap up the bonus point before the break, the Braves again threatened deep behind enemy lines, but on this occasion some brave rearguard defence from the home side kept them at bay.

HALF TIME      GLOUCESTER UNITED 0                     EXETER BRAVES 27

The Braves made three changes at the break, bringing on Taione, Ed Holmes and Stu Townsend for Shaun Malton, Atkins and Maunder. And it didn’t take the visitors long to wrap up the bonus point.

Early pressure allowed Exeter to set up camp down field and, having won a penalty for offside, Simmonds kicked to the left corner and from the resultant set-piece it was Tongan hooker Taione, who found his way over for the all-important fourth score, again converted by Simmonds.

With conditions worsening by the minute, just being able to spot the respective rivals was becoming somewhat of a task in itself.The Braves resembled ‘Casper the Ghost’ in the dense fog - and they perhaps used that to their advantage as they landed two quickfire converted scores.

Replacement lock Holmes was the first to find his way over following a forwards thrust, then Cully capitalised on turnover ball to follow suit as the Braves showed no mercy to their rivals. Both times Simmonds administered the extras with his deadly right boot.

It was relentless stuff from the Braves, who were showing no signs of letting off in the final quarter. Referee Dan Parrott twice consulted with the captains about the conditions, but on both occasions play was allowed to continue.

Gloucester, it has to be said, were praying their torment could be ended. Sadly, it didn't and the Braves added two more tries in quick succession to take them over the 60-point barrier.  Taione rumbled over for his second of the game from another well-drilled line-out move, then McRae got in on the act as he added an eighth try just past the hour mark. Again, both scores were converted by Simmonds, who finished with a points haul on the night of 27 points.

With conditions again worsening, referee Parrott this time deemed enough was enough, bringing a halt to proceedings early. 

Gloucester United: C Penny; M Tonks, M Scott (E Bogue 55), E Creed, J Morris; L Evans (A Morgan 39), C Chapman (E Fenley 55); A Seville (D Dallaville 56), H Walker (J Mullis 40), C Knight (J Bartlett 56); C Beckett (capt, H Butler 37-40, 55), C Allen; A North (JJ Tonks 50), A Hinkley, H Wilson. 

Exeter Braves: S Morley; S M’Boge, H Strong, T Hendrickson (AJ Cant 50), H Cully (S Laity 55); J Simmonds, J Maunder (capt, S Townsend h/t); M Low (J Kenny 43), S Malton (E Taione h/t), M Street (D Southworth 55); T Salmon, O Atkins (E Holmes h/t), J Freeman (S Lonsdale 43), J Salvi, J McRae. 

Tries - Low, Simmonds, M’Boge, Taione (2), Holmes, Cully, McRae; Conversion - Simmonds (8); Penalties - Simmonds (2)

Referee: D Parrott