Chiefs European hopes take a serious blow

Strictly speaking, Exeter Chiefs have waltzed their way impressively to the top two of the Gallagher Premiership this season. Europe, on the other hand, remains a ‘work in progress’ as Rob Baxter’s side slipped to a second successive defeat at the hands of rivals Gloucester.

The visiting Cherry & Whites not only bolstered their own Pool 2 aspirations, but at the same time they gained sweet revenge for a 23-6 loss to Devon’s finest at the same venue just a fortnight ago.

Although they fell behind to an early Don Armand try – and again to Nic White’s converted score just a minute into the second half – Gloucester had too much, both individually and collectively, to silence the Chiefs, whose struggles in Europe’s top club competition remain a mystery.

So sure of themselves when it comes to domestic matters, it’s as if the Chiefs somehow morph into a different outfit when it comes to the Champions Cup. Quite why this is, remains a mystery, but it’s a conundrum that Baxter and his team will need to overcome if they are to reach their true potential.

In testing conditions, which had a mix as colourful as the rainbow that shone in the distance, it was Gloucester who adapted the brighter. Tries from Willi Heinz, Jaco Visagie and Ben Morgan paved the way for their victory, which was the first by a visiting side to Sandy Park since February, when Worcester Warriors headed back up the M5 having picked off the Chiefs in a low-scoring Premiership affair.

England internationals Danny Cipriani and Billy Twelvetrees completed the job for the visitors, who will now be looking to follow up their success with an equally impressive display on home soil this coming Friday when, you guessed it, the Chiefs arrived in town.

A week after surrendering their unbeaten tag in the Premiership to Harlequins, Baxter made a handful of changes to his starting line-up for this latest encounter. In the pack, Ben Moon and Sam Skinner, both fresh after their recent exertions in the Autumn internationals, returned to the fray, as did Gareth Steenson, Ollie Devoto, Henry Slade and Santiago Cordero.

Likewise, Gloucester also made changes to their winning formula from that which had seen off Worcester the week previous. Hooker Visagie made his first start for the club as one of three changes to the pack with Gerbrandt Grobler and Jake Polledri also added.

Behind them, Henry Trinder, Matt Banahan and Tom Hudson also came in from the outset, but their first real involvement was to try and halt a powerful opening assault from the Chiefs.

For the full story, go to: https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/chiefs-19-gloucester-27