Exeter Chiefs (14) 22
Tries: Frost, Tua, Iosefa-Scott
Conversions: Slade (2)
Penalties: Slade
Gloucester (3) 15
Tries: Anscombe, Ford-Robinson
Conversion: Carreras
Penalty: Carreras
Exeter Chiefs finally broke their winless streak in the Gallagher Premiership, securing a hard-fought 22-15 victory over Gloucester at Sandy Park. This marked their first league win in 232 days, a result that lifted them off the bottom of the table and into ninth place, while Gloucester slipped to sixth despite claiming a losing bonus point.
First Half: A Dominant Start for Exeter
Exeter, desperate for a turnaround after a dismal start to the season, got off to a dream start just 90 seconds into the game. Gloucester’s mismanaged five-meter lineout resulted in Dan Frost opportunistically seizing the loose ball and diving over for the opening try, energizing the home crowd.
Their momentum continued as Henry Slade orchestrated another scoring opportunity in the 16th minute. Playing under advantage, Slade executed a pinpoint kick into the corner, where Tamati Tua collected the ball and crossed the line for his first Premiership try. With Slade successfully converting both tries, Exeter took a commanding 14-3 lead into halftime, leaving Gloucester struggling to find their rhythm.
Exeter’s defense was resolute in the first half, denying the normally free-flowing Gloucester any meaningful opportunities. Santiago Carreras managed to slot a penalty for the visitors, but it was a rare highlight in an otherwise lackluster opening 40 minutes for the Cherry and Whites.
Second Half: A Swing in Momentum
The second half began with a dramatic shift in momentum. Exeter, so dominant in the first period, faltered in the opening minutes. A misstep in their midfield play allowed Gareth Anscombe to intercept Tua’s pass at the halfway line, racing away to score under the posts. Carreras added the conversion, reducing Exeter’s lead to 14-10.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Gloucester turned up the pressure. Their forward pack displayed impressive mauling strength, culminating in replacement prop Jamal Ford-Robinson powering over the line in the 63rd minute. This try put Gloucester ahead for the first time in the match, with the scoreline reading 15-14.
Exeter’s Response: A Game of Fine Margins
Exeter regained composure and looked to their talisman Henry Slade to steady the ship. Slade delivered with a crucial penalty kick, putting the Chiefs back in front at 17-15. Gloucester had a chance to regain the lead through a penalty of their own, but Carreras missed the straightforward kick from 22 meters, a costly error that seemed to deflate the visitors.
Sensing their opportunity, Exeter capitalized in the final moments. Replacement Josh Iosefa-Scott crashed over the line after sustained pressure from the Chiefs’ pack, securing the match-winning try. The conversion was missed, but the 22-15 scoreline was enough to bring relief and celebration to Sandy Park as the final whistle blew.
Post-Match Reactions
Rob Baxter, Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby:
“I’m obviously pleased with the result, but it was always going to be that kind of game at the end with swings and stress. One minute, you think we’re going to lose this towards the end, and Gloucester are going to take control, but then we fought back.
“They missed a kick at goal, and then we go down the other end and score the match-winning try. It was just about the result, and it was a positive one for us. Hopefully, it can give the players and the coaching group that bit of confidence that pushes us forward.”
George Skivington, Gloucester Head Coach:
“Result aside because we always want to win, I just don’t think we played very well. Our defense and collisions were good; we worked hard, but in attack, we just didn’t manage to stick many phases together.
“The lineout was a bit clunky, we dropped a lot of balls when we didn’t have possession, and we weren’t quite connecting the way we have been. That is always the challenge when you come somewhere tough like this, and we just didn’t do it.”
Teams and Player Contributions
Exeter Chiefs:
Starting XV: Hodge; Woodburn, Hammersley, Tua, Wyatt; Slade, Townsend; Sio, Frost, Street, Jenkins, Capstick, Roots, Fisilau, Vermuelen.
Replacements: Innard, Goodrick-Clarke, Iosefa-Scott, Molina, Vintcent, Cairns, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush.
Gloucester:
Starting XV: Carreras; Wade, Llewellyn, Atkinson, Hathaway; Anscombe, T. Williams; Vivas, Blake, Gotovtsev, Thomas, Alemanno, Clement, Ludlow, Ackermann.
Replacements: Singleton, Ford-Robinson, Knight, Jordan, Tuisue, Englefield, Harris, Barton.
Key Takeaways
- Exeter’s victory ends a prolonged winless streak and provides a much-needed morale boost as they look to climb further up the table.
- Gloucester’s attacking struggles and Carreras’s crucial penalty miss underline the challenges they faced in Devon, where they have not won since 2015.
- Both teams will need to address their respective weaknesses as the Premiership season progresses.
Exeter’s triumph was not just about the points—it was about rediscovering their winning spirit. For Gloucester, the loss is a reminder of the fine margins that define success and failure in the Premiership.
