Match report: Chiefs 3 – 8 Bears

Dismal conditions took centre stage at Sandy Park as Exeter Chiefs were narrowly defeated by Bristol Bears in round 10 of the Gallagher PREM.

Storm Ingrid blew in wind and rain for large chunks of the encounter making the pitch underfoot hard to judge and the ball in hand hard to maintain.

Chiefs also had to weather an unforeseen change early on when back-row Tom Hooper took a knock to the knee and wasn’t comfortable weight-bearing on it.

Bristol looked to have been dealt a gift of points when a penalty was awarded in the centre of the field five metres from the Chiefs 22 line. However, conditions being as tricky as they were, Tom Jordan’s attempt from the tee pulled wide.

As a new wave of rain began to lash down, Henry Slade kicked the first points of the match on 28 minutes after a penalty at the ruck inside the Bears’ 22.

An uncharacteristic mistake from Olly Woodburn forced Slade to scamper after a loose ball and ground it over his own line, giving Bears a five-metre scrum. They ran a trick-play off the rear and caught Chiefs in a two-on-one on the edge which gave Noah Heward space to run in the try in the corner.

Half-time: Chiefs 3 – 5 Bears

Chiefs’ luck seemed to fluctuate in the second half. Having started the half from kick-off camped on the Bristol five metre line, they were turned over and found themselves heavily on the defensive reload.

Slade went for goal from the halfway line on 53 minutes and while the kick had the legs, the wind pulled it off course. More chances came Chiefs’ way, either for a kick to touch or for a line-break, but they seemed thwarted at every turn.

Large defensive set efforts from Greg Fisilau, Paul Brown-Bampoe and Ethan Roots did well to keep Bears at bay for most of the second half but an unfortunate error in the 78th minute awarded the Bristol side an opportunity to go for goal.

On the restart from James Williams’ successful penalty kick, Bears recycled in short phases to see out the clock before kicking the ball dead.

Chiefs will now bid farewell to their Guinness Six Nations internationals as attention returns to the Prem Rugby Cup with the visit of Sale Sharks to Sandy Park next weekend.

Full-time: Chiefs 3 – 8 Bears

Chiefs: O Woodburn; I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, W Haydon-Wood, P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, C Chapman; S Sio (Goodrick-Clarke 68’), J Dweba (Yeandle 68’), B Tchumbadze (J Roots 68’), D Jenkins (c), A Zambonin, T Hooper (Capstick 8’, Pearson 73’), E Roots, G Fisilau.

Unused replacements: Cairns, Hammersley, Ridl

Penalties: Slade

Bears: L Rees-Zammit; N Heward (Ibitoye 72’), M Moroni, B Janse van Rensburg, K Ravouvou; T Jordan (Williams 53’), H Randall (Marmion 53’); E Genge (Halliwell 79’), G Oghre (Thacker 79’), G Kloska (Lahiff 6’, Kloska 17’, Lahiff 63’), P Rubiolo, J Batley, S Luatua (Grondona 56’), F Harding (c), V Mata (Owen 72’).

Tries: Heward Penalties: Williams

Referee: Karl Dickson