Bath edge Exeter in 40-34 thriller

Bath Rugby 40-34 Exeter Chiefs, The Rec

Bath secured another five-point Gallagher PREM win as they edged Exeter Chiefs 40-34 in an 11-try thriller at The Rec.

The hosts led 26-10 at half-time after tries from Cameron Redpath, Bernard van der Linde, Dan du Preez and Finn Russell, but Exeter fought back strongly after the break and briefly took the lead.

Bath eventually responded through a penalty try and a late Ted Hill score before Exeter’s final penalty earned them two bonus points.

Bath Build First-Half Lead

Redpath opened the scoring on his first start of the season, intercepting a pass and racing clear from inside his own half. Russell converted to give Bath an early 7-0 lead.

Van der Linde then added Bath’s second try, using a sharp dummy to slip through the Exeter defence. Russell again converted to make it 14-0.

Exeter responded through scrum-half Stephen Varney, who crossed for their first try, but Bath struck again when van der Linde’s kick ahead helped create the chance for Dan du Preez to score his second try in two games.

Jack Yeandle replied for Exeter from a driving maul, but Bath finished the half strongly. Russell produced a show-and-go to score Bath’s bonus-point try before converting his own effort to make it 26-10 at half-time.

Exeter Turn The Game Around

Exeter started the second half with real purpose. Josh Iosefa-Scott scored from close range, with Henry Slade converting to cut the gap to 26-17.

Feyi-Waboso then produced two tries in quick succession as Exeter turned the match on its head. His second score gave the Chiefs a 31-26 lead and left Bath needing a response.

Penalty Try And Hill Score Rescue Bath

Bath regained the lead when Varney deliberately knocked down a pass intended for Joe Cokanasiga as the hosts attacked wide. The referee awarded a penalty try and sent Varney to the sin bin, putting Bath back in front at 33-31.

Hill then came off the bench to score a powerful late try, with Russell converting to stretch Bath’s lead to 40-31.

Exeter had the final word when Harvey Skinner kicked a late penalty after Bath were penalised for offside. That secured two bonus points for the visitors, but Bath held on for a dramatic home victory.

Team line up:

Bath: Donoghue; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, de Glanville; Russell, van der Linde; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels (capt), Richards, Pepper, du Preez.

Reserves: Frost, Kirk, Griffin, Hill, Reid, Carr-Smith, Ojomoh, Coetzee.

Exeter: Woodburn; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Butt, Wyatt; Skinner, Varney; Burger, Yeandle, Iosefa-Scott, Wilson, Jenkins (capt), E Roots, James, Fisilau.

Reserves: Gulley, Goodrick-Clarke, Tchumbadze, Beckerleg, Worley Brady, Wolstenholme, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush.

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