Match Report: Hartpury 14 - 36 Exeter Chiefs

A five-point win at Hartpury University stadium on Saturday afternoon keeps Exeter Chiefs at the top of Pool E in the Premiership Rugby Cup.

Chiefs scored six tries to Hartpury's two as they took control of the game for most of the encounter against their Championship opposition away from home.

Having made a habit of scoring in recent weeks, it seemed appropriate that winger Paul Brown-Bampoe was first on the scoresheet for Chiefs. A delayed pass from Harvey Skinner released Tommy Wyatt into a gap in the Hartpury line. With a flick of the wrist, Brown-Bampoe had the ball and was cantering past a last defender to score in the corner.

Scrum half Tom Cairns added a second for the Chiefs when he picked and went by himself from the base of a ruck a metre from the Hartpury line. Some good work in the 22 had garnered the Chiefs a couple of penalties when the half back spotted the option for a try.

Harvey Skinner added the conversion but was shown a yellow card just a minute later for a dangerous tackle on the halfway line.

Hartpury's scrum half Mike Austin returned the favour when he scored his side's first try of the day. Taking an offloaded pass on the inside edge of the Chiefs' 22, he stepped Will Rigg to run in the score.

His fly-half Nathan Chamberlain added the conversion to bring the hosts within an unconverted try on the scoreboard.

The third try of the afternoon for Chiefs was a solo effort from Dan Frost. Chiefs were moving the ball at pace through the phases across the width of the field before Zack Wimbush used a jink-step to break the gain-line on the far side of the field. A quick offload to his hooker and Frost nipped through the reforming Hartpury line to run-in the score.

Skinner added the extra two points.

Half-time: Hartpury 5 - 19 Chiefs

Chiefs secured the try bonus point just two minutes into the second half. Mauling their way over from five metres out, a crash of Chiefs bodies hurtled over the Hartpury try-line with Ethan Roots the man in charge of dotting the ball down to score the points. Skinner's conversion attempt pulled wide.

Brown-Bampoe got his brace score before 50 minutes was played as he scored Chiefs' fifth of the day. A well-executed break from Tommy Wyatt got Chiefs into the 22 and the full-back made the good decision to retain ball rather than off-loading. Cairns fed Skinner who chipped across field to his winger for the try.

Fresh on the field just before the hour to replace Will Rigg, centre Tamati Tua was next to get himself on the scoresheet. Chiefs played quickly off a set piece five metres out from the Hartpury 22 and a chip over the line from Skinner bounced perfectly for Tua. He collected ball and ran the score in beneath the posts before his fly-half converted the score.

The closing minutes were a frustration of penalties for the Chiefs as Hartpury managed to clutch a second try to top their score up through Harry Short. With the clock already dead, the conversion from Chamberlain brought the afternoon of action to its end.

A winning result sees Chiefs return to Devon to play their two final pool matches in front of a loyal and vocal Sandy Park crowd as they look to secure their progression in the competition.

Full-time: Hartpury 14 - 36 Chiefs

Hartpury: M Protheroe; D Coetzee, J Johnson (Edwards-Giraud 69'), R Smith, S Underhill; N Chamberlain, M Austin; J Gibbons (Mellows), W Crane (c) (Hunt), A Gibson (Popple 63'), D Lemon (Richards-Farr 53'), J Davies (Hart 68'), C Cobbett, H Short, S Lewis (Murray 56).

Replacements: Randall

Tries: Austin, Short Conversions: Chamberlain 2

Chiefs:T Wyatt (Haydon-Wood 72'); Z Wimbush, J Hawkins, W Rigg (Tua 53), P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, T Cairns (Armstrong 59'); S Sio (c) (Blose 49'), D Frost (Norey 49'), 1 losefa-Scott (J Roots 49'), J Dunne, F Molina (Moloney 53'), E Roots (Bailey 62'), L Pearson, G Fisilau.

Tries: Brown-Bampoe 2, Cairns, Frost, E Roots, Tua Conversions: Skinner 3

Yellow card: Harvey Skinner