Match Report: Exeter Chiefs 28 – 24 Ealing Trailfinders

Exeter Chiefs secured their spot as Premiership Rugby Cup final hosts with a win over Ealing Trailfinders at Sandy Park this Saturday afternoon.

It was by no means a washout as the top of the table Championship side fought right to the death of the encounter, showing real grit and talent. However, it was the Exeter men that were able to convert more chances, scoring four tries to Ealing’s three.

On his first start, fly-half George Worboys put the visitors onto the board first. A penalty at the breakdown outside the Chiefs 22 gave him the option of going for the posts and he gladly took it to put three points to his name.

It took 15 minutes before the first try of the match also went to Ealing. A break carved through the line by fullback Tobi Wilson set Chiefs back-tracking. A two-on-one against Paul Brown-Bampoe and Wilson put the pass inside to Craig Hampson to finish the score which Worboys converted.

Not taking kindly to his side being behind, Jacques Vermeulen battered and barged his way through for a break in the midfield shortly thereafter. He had Ben Coen on his shoulder and the fly-half carried well into contact to give Chiefs an attacking boost.

After a full-team effort throughout the phases in the 22, Josh Hodge was the scorer when he took the pop pass in the five metre channel and cantered over, curving around to beneath the posts to give himself a simpler conversion.

Converting his own score meant the full-back brought the gap back to within a score.

Chiefs were all set to maul over for their second a few minutes later. On appearance number 301, Jack Yeandle held the ball strong at the rear of the driving set which began at the edge of the 22 and ended in a heap at the line.

The referee deemed Ealing had cynically pulled it down and so awarded a penalty try to Chiefs while showing Ealing’s Danny Cutmore a yellow card.

Half-time: Chiefs 14 – 10 Trailfinders

Having weathered the closing stages of the first half a man down, the visitors were the first to score following the restart.

Hampson burst through contact in the 22 and after a dummy pump, offloaded to Reuben Bird-Tulloch for the score. Craig Willis – freshly on the pitch to bring experience with him having replaced Worboys – was successful with the conversion.

A third, and second of the half, went Ealing’s way on 55 minutes when Chiefs were caught on the backfoot deep in their own territory. Hooker Matt Cornish was able to trundle over in the corner and while tight to the upright, Willis’ conversion was successful.

A scrum on the 10 metre was the catalyst for Chiefs to score next. Tamati Tua ran a crashball line onto Greg Fisilau’s feed and the backs whipped into action. Hodge was brought down inches shy of the line, but the imposing figure of Ethan Roots was there to pick the ball off the floor and touch down one-handed. Hodge converted to again reduce the gap.

Tommy Wyatt, the former Championship man, was the one to take the Chiefs into the lead which they ultimately never relinquished.

Quick work from Marcus Street and Vermeulen to hit a breakdown in the Ealing half, supporting Brown-Bampoe, secured the turnover for Chiefs.

Moving the ball through the phases with pace, Wyatt took the pass and ducked inside an Ealing soft shoulder to carry over the bonus point try. Hodge converted to make the gap four.

There were penalties in the closing stages which looked to have given Ealing chances at running the ball downfield, but at each turn Chiefs were able to repel them.

That was how the encounter was to end when the final whistle went on just over 80 minutes. The Chiefs emerged victorious with the knowledge that they will now host West-Country rivals Bath Rugby at Sandy Park in next weekend’s final.

Full-time: Chiefs 28 – 24 Trailfinders

Chiefs: T Wyatt; P Brown-Bampoe, J Hawkins, T Tua, J Hodge; B Coen (Skinner 54’), T Cairns (Armstrong 54’); K Blose (Keast 53’), J Yeandle (c) (Frost 53’), J Iosefa-Scott (Street 47’), R Capstick, C Tshiunza (Molina 47’), E Roots, J Vermeulen, G Fisilau.

Replacements: Moloney, Rigg

Tries: Hodge, penalty try, E Roots, Wyatt Conversions: Hodge 3

Trailfinders: T Wilson; A Kernohan (Dykes 74’), R Bird-Tulloch, F Moore, T Collins; G Worboys (Willis 43’), C Hampson; L Zigiriadis (Whyte 47’), M Cornish (Buckley 71’), G Davis (Alo 47’), B De Wee, D Cutmore (Lonsdale 63’), R Farrar (c), J Reid, D Bridge (Newman 77’).

Replacements: Williams

Tries: Hampson, Bird-Tulloch, Cornish Conversions: Worboys, Willis 2 Penalties: Worboys

Yellow card: Danny Cutmore

Referee: Joe James