Exeter Chiefs 10 Bath Rugby 13

The clocks may have gone back overnight, but Bath used over time at Sandy Park to seal themselves a priceless Aviva Premiership victory over Exeter Chiefs.

Winger Semesa Rokoduguni landed the knockout blow for Todd Blackadder’s high-flying oufit, flooring the Devon outfit with a try seven minutes into added on time.

The England international powered his way to the line to seal a remarkable result for the visitors, whose other points on the day came from the boot of George Ford.

Up until then, however, Rob Baxter’s side looked to have been on course for a notable scalp, this after skipper Gareth Steenson had landed a penalty and also converted Mitch Lees’ second half score.

Sadly, it was not to be for last season’s beaten Premiership finalists, who will have been left hurting by this latest setback, such was the effort they put into a bruising contest.

Back to domestic duties after a testing fortnight of European Champions Cup action,

Baxter made just one change in personnel to his starting line-up for the visit of Bath.

That came up front where the injured Julian Salvi (bicep) was replaced by Aussie international Dave Dennis in the back-row.

Bath, meanwhile, made eight changes to their line-up from that which had seen off local rivals Bristol in the Challenge Cup just a week earlier.

Five of them came in the pack where there were recalls for Ross Batty, Henry Thomas, Dave Attwood, Tom Ellis and Charlie Ewels, while behind England duo Ford and Rokoduguni and Kahn Fotuali’i were also added as Kiwi coach Blackadder looked to add some real firepower to his ranks.

With a capacity crowd in place, it was Bath who set the early running, looking to probe away at the home defences with a catalogue of powerful drives up through the middle. The Chiefs, however, were having none of it, manfully throwing themselves into every collision.

It was the sign of things to come in what would prove a brutal first half of action. Both sides were happy to go ‘full bore’ at one another, but neither were willing to give an inch in a bid to protect their line.

Ford had the first chance to break the deadlock on 11 minutes after Dennis had been harshly adjudged to have entered the ruck illegally, but the normally predatory England goal kicker shanked his effort wide of the mark.

At the other end, opposite number Steenson showed how it should be done, making no mistake with his first effort – albeit a much easier attempt – as he punished Fotuali’i for infringing in front of his own sticks after Exeter had worked their way through a series of attacking phases.

Five minutes later and Ford was offered a second shot at goal when Moray Low was adjudged to have dropped a scrum deep inside his own 22. Again, the Bath playmaker could not capitalise, this time firing wide of the far post, much to the delight of the home faithful.

As the half ticked by, Bath continued to press hard in attack, but Baxter’s side were producing an outstanding defensive effort, thwarting their every move, eventually
winning two turnover penalties in quick succession for their industrious work.

Even when Bath did finally find space out wide, working an opening for the dangerous Rokoduguni, James Short was on hand to produce an excellent cover tackle, bundling the England winger into touch as he closed in on the line with virtually the last play of the half.

Half time: Exeter Chiefs 3 Bath Rugby 0