Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Red Bulls

A dominant Exeter Chiefs side got out the blocks early as they claimed a try bonus point in the first half on their way to victory at Kingston Park.

The round 12 Gallagher PREM fixture saw Chiefs defeat Newcastle Red Bulls 14-38, scoring six tries to Newcastle’s two including braces for Paul Brown-Bampoe and Campbell Ridl.

Brown-Bampoe opened the chilly evening’s scoring when he scampered over tight to the corner flag after five minutes played. Chiefs had been working from an advantage when they moved the ball across pitch with back-rower Ross Vintcent putting in the final pass to find his winger.

From one touchline to another, Ridl scored six minutes later. Taking a long, looping spiral pass from fly-half Harvey Skinner, the young winger curved a line in field to ground the ball. Having set up the score, Skinner converted it.

Brown-Bampoe had a brace before there was a quarter played. Chiefs’ maul for the line was brought down illegally on the Red Bulls’ two-metre line, but quick-thinking scrum-half Stephen Varney lobbed a one-handed offload from the floor up to Brown-Bampoe for the easy run-in.

Olly Woodburn completed the trifecta of the back three scoring in the first half. Skinner again with the try assist, held his pass a second longer to find Woodburn on the front-foot and the full-back made light work of going over the line. Skinner then converted the bonus-point score.

Christian Wade claimed a first try for the hosts just after a half hour of action. Palming off Ridl in the five-metre channel, he got the step on Chiefs’ defence and raced in for the try. His fly-half Brett Connon added the extra two with a clean kick at goal.

The future Red Bulls man Will Rigg set up Chiefs’ fifth of the half with a storming carry in the midfield. Recycling ball well, Skinner and Woodburn connected to get ball quickly to Ridl who broke one tackle before stepping another on his way to the line. Skinner’s conversion broke the 30-point barrier for the Exeter men.

The second half had been underway for no more than two minutes when Chiefs topped up their score once again. Identifying a gap in the Red Bulls defence at set-piece, Varney took the ball off the base, sneaking his way through the line and over for the try. His half-back partner Skinner quickly added the conversion.

Opportunity knocked for both sides to add to their score throughout the remainder of the half, both Wade and Brown-Bampoe at points looking truly threatening. However, both defences held strong right until the 79th minute when Newcastle clawed back a try as replacement Connor Hancock crashed over.

Debutant Ben Healy’s conversion brought the game to an end as, for the second consecutive week, Chiefs’ Tom Hooper was named player of the match for his side’s five-point victory.

Rob Baxter’s men will look to take momentum from their result into their eight day turnaround to hosting Munster Rugby at Sandy Park next Saturday afternoon in their EPCR Challenge Cup last 16 match-up.