Exeter Chiefs back on top after hammering Bath

Adam Kyriacou

Exeter Chiefs bounced back to the top of the Premiership table in quick time after they hammered Bath 57-20 at Sandy Park on Saturday.

Two tries apiece from wing Olly Woodburn and number eight Sam Simmonds and one each from wing Tom O’Flaherty, lock Jannes Kirsten, hooker Elvis Taione and replacement Jack Maunder saw the Chiefs dominate.

Fly-half Joe Simmonds landed a penalty and five conversions and his replacement Gareth Steenson struck over two conversions.

Bath managed tries from number eight Zach Mercer, centre Max Wright and wing Ruaridh McConnochie, with fly-half Rhys Priestland kicking a penalty and replacement Freddie Burns landing a conversion.

But the damage was done from a poor Bath first-half effort was punished ruthlessly by Exeter, with the Chiefs 29-3 up at half-time and with a try bonus-point already in the bag.

That lead was based on a scrummage that dominated the visiting pack and incisive attacks.

When threatened, particularly in the last moments of the half, Exeter’s defence was solid as Bath tried in vain to extract a try for a foothold in the match.

The Chiefs could have been fired up after losing to Harlequins the previous weekend and began the onslaught when a solid scrum five under the Bath posts in the sixth minute saw scrum-half Nic White send a wide ball right for O’Flaherty to stroll into the corner.

Priestland booted a penalty for Bath but the storm was about to break. Woodburn nearly scored from an Ian Whitten grubber to the right corner but would not be denied and grabbed Exeter’s second when centre Tom Hendrickson broke through the middle and fed the winger for an easy run-in.

Joe Simmonds increased the lead to 15-3 with a penalty and, as Bath struggled to get any possession, number eight Sam Simmonds got the third touchdown, breaking around the blindside from an attacking line-out maul.

Bath lost lock Josh McNally to the sin-bin for a high tackle, and Exeter’s bonus-point try was not long coming from there as Kirsten drove over from a ruck two metres out.

Simmonds converted three of the tries against the wind, and, 57 seconds after the restart, was kicking another two points after brother Sam went under the posts for his second try.

Bath finally found a way to break the home defence and, from a run penalty under the Exeter posts, Mercer scored.

It was countered, though, moments later as the Chiefs again reached the Bath try-line, this time for Taione to wriggle over.

Again, however, Bath scored when Wright went over from 10 metres, with Priestland’s replacement Burns adding the extras.

And McConnochie made the score respectable with Bath’s third, picking up on a dropped ball on the Exeter 22.

But Exeter were not finished as Woodburn got his second and Maunder dashed over for their eighth try, finishing the rout.

In the early game on Saturday, two tries from Alex Lewington proved to be the difference as Saracens beat Leicester Tigers 24-13 at Allianz Park.

The former Tigers academy graduate crossed once in each half and, despite a Ben White score, Saracens were too strong for the visitors, as Dom Morris dotted down on the hour. Manu Vunipola kicked three conversions and one penalty as Sarries sealed their ninth win of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Wasps continued their revival under head coach Lee Blackett as they impressed in a 39-22 victory over Gloucester at the Ricoh Arena.

Scores from Jack Willis, Josh Bassett, Jacob Umaga, Nizaam Carr and Malakai Fekitoa saw Wasps to back-to-back victories in the Premiership.

Tom Marshall, Ollie Thorley, Billy Twelvetrees and Lloyd Evans crossed for Gloucester, who suffer a sixth straight defeat in all competitions.

Bath