Exeter Chiefs 27 Gloucester 27

Damian Welch’s last-gasp try snatched a dramatic draw for Exeter Chiefs in an enthralling derby with Gloucester at Sandy Park.

With less than a minute remaining, Gloucester’s hopes of a second Aviva Premiership victory of the season were dashed when the Chiefs mauled their way over in the left-hand corner to tie the scores at 27-27.

Even then Rob Baxter’s side could have won it at the death, but the normally deadly Gareth Steenson was unable to land the tricky conversion from wide on the touchline.

Following a disappointing 15-6 defeat at the hands of Bath Rugby last week, Gloucester produced the perfect response with a hard-working, battling performance in Devon.

They held a 17-14 lead at the break thanks largely to tries from the in-form Matt Scott and Charlie Sharples, while Thomas Waldrom and Ian Whitten crossed for the hosts.

That advantage was extended after the interval as England No.8 Ben Morgan plunged over, but Whitten’s second score and a Steenson penalty set up a grandstand finish, before Welch broke Cherry and White hearts.

Back on home soil for the first time in a fortnight, the Chiefs hoped a return to home comforts would also help them rediscover their winning formula having narrowly come unstuck at Northampton Saints the week previous.

Baxter recalled Luke Cowan-Dickie and Julian Salvi to the pack ahead of kick-off, while behind Sam Hill was preferred in the centre to Ollie Devoto.

Like the Chiefs, Gloucester too were looking to fashion a response of sorts having slipped up – for the third time this season on home turf – against Bath the previous week.

In the build-up they were forced to make a couple of late changes with Mark Atkinson promoted from the bench to come in at fly-half, while England international Ben Morgan came in at No.8 in place of Gareth Evans.

With personnel in place, the early exchanges saw both sides look to stamp their authority on the game. However, the line-speed of both defences saw the opening skirmishes restricted to a plethora of heavy collisions, rather than any meaningful rugby.

The Chiefs huffed and puffed initially, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 12 minutes. Jacob Rowan was the quickest to react off a Gloucester line-out, he spotted an opening down the blindside and although he was felled just short of the line, the Cherry and Whites worked the ball back inside to Scott, who was able to cross by the posts for the converted score.

That lead proved short-lived, however, as back roared the Chiefs. A penalty to the corner set the foundations for their opening try, which having driven forward with a well-constructed driving maul, they then used a succession of pick-and-go moves to fashion the opening for Waldrom – on his 50th appearance – to burrow over for his fourth of the season, converted by Steenson.

Such is the nature of games between these two clubs, though, the nip-and-tuck nature continued almost immediately as Gloucester reclaimed their seven-point cushion with a second converted try on 27 minutes.

Sharples – on his 200th appearance for the visitors – was the beneficiary, out jumping Lachie Turner off a Laidlaw box kick to glide over with relative ease.

What wasn’t noticed by the officials, though, was a foot in touch in the build-up to the score from James Hook and although the Chiefs protested to referee Greg Garner, he refused to consult the TMO and the score was duly awarded.

Thankfully, Baxter’s side did not let their frustrations get the better of them and they once again levelled the game up just past the half hour. Having used the forwards to punch their way into enemy territory, the ball was fed out back to the impressive Hill, whose clever footwork saw him evade two Gloucester tacklers, before offloading to Whitten to claim his first of the season.

Steenson again added the extras with a relatively straightforward kick, but it was Gloucester who would go in at the break in front, Twelvetrees landing a long-range penalty on the stroke of half time to give them a slender lead.

Half time: Exeter Chiefs 14 Gloucester 17