Excellent Exeter rout Worcester

Editor

Exeter Chiefs made it successive bonus-point victories in the Premiership following a 57-22 thumping of Worcester Warriors.

The West Country outfit dominated the first half and took a 24-3 lead with efforts from Jack Yeandle and Will Chudley, while referee Matthew O'Grady also awarded a penalty try. 

Worcester's response before the interval came via the boot of Jamie Shillcock but they continued to struggle after the break. Although Josh Adams, Wynand Olivier and Dewald Potgieter did go over for the Warriors, it proved to be mere consolation after Olly Woodburn, Carl Rimmer, Thomas Waldrom, James Short and Ian Whitten all crossed the whitewash for the Chiefs. 

Rob Baxter's men garnered an impressive 32-19 victory at Newcastle Falcons last weekend and carried that momentum into this encounter. They went 10-0 up in the opening 15 minutes, scoring their first try through Yeandle following a dominant maul, before Gareth Steenson converted and added a penalty. The pressure was relentless from the hosts and it was no surprise to see them touch down for a second time when a series of close range drives eventually resulted in Chudley going over. 

To their credit, the visitors lifted the tempo and had their first significant foray when Bryce Heem broke the line. However, that threat was only brief, despite Shillcock rewarding the wing's positive play with a three-pointer, as the Chiefs attacked once again. For the second time, the drive caused the Warriors problems and, with Carl Hogg's side under pressure, Darren Barry illegally pulled it down. 

O'Grady gave a penalty try and Barry was duly sin-binned as Exeter moved 21 points ahead at half-time. Hogg needed a response from his charges, but any thoughts of a comeback were extinguished almost immediately in the second period through a superb long range attack which ended in Woodburn crossing the whitewash. 

The floodgates had now well and truly been opened and two further efforts in the space of five minutes by Rimmer and Waldrom added to the away team's embarrassment. 

Worcester did respond via Adams, who latched onto Shillcock's neat chip, but Short's try took the hosts up to the 50 mark. Olivier's touchdown for the visitors made it 50-17 in the Chiefs' favour, but the scoring wasn't finished with Whitten scampering over for Baxter's men. However, it was the Midlanders who had the final word when an excellent move saw Potgieter score and complete proceedings.

The scorers:

For Exeter:
Tries: Yeandle, Chudley, Woodburn, Rimmer, Waldrom, Short, Whitten, Penalty try
Cons: Steenson 6, Simmonds 
Pen: Steenson

For Worcester:
Tries: Adams, Olivier, Potgieter
Cons: Shillcock 2
Pen: Shillcock

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Ollie Devoto, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 James Short, 10 Gareth Steenson(c), 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Kai Horstmann, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle, 1 Ben Moon
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Joe Simmonds, 23 Sam Hill

Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Dean Hammond, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Jonny Arr, 8 Phil Dowson(c), 7 Carl Kirwan, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Darren Barry, 4 Andrew Kitchener, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin
Replacements: 16 Matti Williams, 17 Na’ama Leleimalefaga, 18 Mike Daniels, 19 Donncha O’Callaghan, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Tom Biggs, 23 Jackson Willison

Referee: Matthew O’Grady
Assistant Referees: Andrew Pearce, Paul Burton
TMO: Geoff Warren