Exeter Chiefs reclaimed the top spot in the Premiership table after edging out rivals Bristol Bears in a nail-biting encounter at Sandy Park. The Chiefs secured a hard-fought bonus-point win, overcoming a hat-trick from Bristol full-back Rich Lane.
Exeter started on the front foot, taking an early lead through Rusi Tuima, but Bristol responded with a try of their own, with Lane touching down after a clever grubber kick from Callum Sheedy. The Bears extended their lead when Sheedy lofted a well-judged kick over the Exeter defense, allowing Lane to complete his brace.
Exeter rallied before half-time, with Ehren Painter crashing over from close range and Henry Slade adding the conversion to level the scores. The Chiefs went ahead early in the second half when Tom Wyatt finished a flowing team move. Still, Bristol hit back immediately as Lane completed his hat-trick following another Sheedy assist.
However, Exeter regained control of the game in the final quarter. Josh Iosefa-Scott powered over for their fourth try, and Slade converted to give them a 10-point cushion. Bristol had a chance to reduce the deficit with a late penalty, but James Williams missed the target, and Exeter held on to secure a valuable bonus-point victory.
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter was pleased with his team’s performance, particularly their ability to stay calm under pressure. “The learning from today could be incredible for us,” he said. “Once the guys learn that if you stick together, and you stick at stuff, things happen – that’s the golden ticket as a coach. You want guys to believe even when it doesn’t feel like it’s working. Because that’s how you make it work.”
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam was disappointed with his side’s missed goal kicks but admitted that Exeter’s power and precision had been the difference. “The World Cup was won with one point in a quarter-final, one point in a semi-final, one point in a final,” he said. “We all know that. It’s not rocket science to know that goal-kickers make a difference. But in saying that, it’s a team thing. We missed those chances, but we also put ourselves under pressure with other areas of the game.”
