Match report: Ospreys 26-38 Exeter Chiefs

Exeter Chiefs field 36 players in a victorious outing against Ospreys in Bridgend in a pre-season friendly to launch their 2025/26 campaign.

It was a dominant first half for Chiefs in windy conditions. Ospreys were able to get back into the game in the second half but the work Exeter had already done had cushioned their lead enough that they weren’t to be caught.

Stephen Varney quickly endeared himself to his new teammates when he was first on the scoresheet after three minutes played. A floated ball from Will Haydon-Wood released Campbell Ridl to canter over the halfway. The England U20s star picked a nice line to run and hit Varney with the pass to send the scrum-half over beneath the posts. Harvey Skinner took the conversion to open his account.

Not content with an assist, Ridl scored a try of his own. Bursting through a tackle in the five-metre channel in Ospreys’ 22, the winger reached a long arm out to dot the ball down.

Back rower Harri Deaves forced his way over from close range to score Ospreys’ first try before former Chief, fly-half Jack Walsh, converted the try.

Chiefs responded with silky hands and fast ball coming out of their own half. Ridl was brought down in the 22 but a quick recycle from Skinner to Ben Hammersley put the centre onto the ball at speed and he was over for a third Chiefs try.

The wind had picked up, so Varney had to hold the ball on the tee for his fly-half to convert.

There was still time in the first half for Ridl to secure a brace. Speed of ball had gotten the Chiefs deep in Ospreys territory, but it was patience yards out from the line that ensured the move paid off. Pulling defenders in tight, Chiefs switched a long ball out to Ridl who reached for his second try.

Half-time: Ospreys 7 – 24 Chiefs

Ospreys struck first in the second half with a true team-try. Running it from their own 10-metre line, to the crowd’s adulation it was veteran Ross Moriarty who was named as the man to have grounded the ball at the base of a pile of bodies.

Jimmy Roots made sure the Chiefs score was topped up when he powered his way over at the laces of the Ospreys defenders on their line. Ben Coen sealed the conversion.

A sixth try came Chiefs way in the fourth quarter of the game. Centre Harry Ascherl, still on trial with this Exeter side, took a clean spin pass on the edge of the post and walked in the score which Coen quickly converted.

Ospreys struck twice in quick succession to end the encounter. Phil Cokanasigna ran a try in from halfway while Gwilym Evans injected pace to match his power and crossed for the last try. Owen Erasmus converted both, but it wasn’t enough to rob Chiefs of the win.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter was pleased post-match to have seen so many of his players receive game-time after a tough pre-season programme.

Full-time: Ospreys 26 – 38 Chiefs

Ospreys: M Nagy; L Morgan, C Moyse, K Williams, I Hopkins; J Walsh, L Davies; S Thomas, L Lloyd (Daniel), R Henry, R Davies, J Fender, R Moriarty, H Deaves, M Morse.

Replacements: Lewis, James, Warren, Roberts, Sutton, Williams, Cokanasigna, Florence, Daniel, Botha, Jones, Evans, Carson-Jones, Erasmus, Cornellius, Houston

Tries: Deaves, Moriarty, Cokanasigna, Evans Conversions: Walsh, Erasmus 2

Chiefs first half: W Haydon-Wood; C Ridl, B Hammersley, N Lilley, P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, S Varney; W Goodrick-Clarke (Blose), J Dweba (Yeandle), J Iosefa-Scott (J Roots), L Pearson, R Tuima, C Tshiunza, E Roots, R Vintcent.

Chiefs second half: J Findlay; K Gentry, Z Wimbush, H Ascherl (Allison), N Fenton; B Coen, C Chapman (Cairns); K Blose (Sio), J Yeandle (Heaven), J Roots (Godfrey), O Beckerleg (Evans), A Zambonin, M Moloney, J Forsythe, K James.

Tries: Varney, Ridl 2, Hammerlsey, J Roots, Arscherl Conversions: Skinner 2, Coen 2

Referee: Ben Whitehouse