Chiefs Heineken Cup hopes are over
Exeter Chiefs 10 Glasgow Warriors 15
Having started their Heineken Cup campaign in sparkling fashion against Cardiff Blues back in October, the European escapades of Rob Baxter’s Exeter Chiefs side have rapidly lost their fizz ever since.
Sadly this latest loss to visiting Glasgow Warriors not only enabled the visiting Scotsmen to claim a third victory of the season over their Devon hosts, but at the same extinguished any semblance of hope the Chiefs had of advancing to European Rugby’s latter stages.
Having led 10-0 thanks to a converted Fetu’u Vainikolo try and a penalty from fly-half Henry Slade, the Aviva Premiership outfit failed to build on their advantage and it was the men from North of the Border who hit back to overtake the Chiefs at the bottom of Pool Two.
Scottish stars Sean Maitland and Sean Lamont both helped themselves to first half tries, whilst international colleague Stuart Hogg added the remainder of Glasgow’s points with the boot.
The scoring – it has to be said – were the rare highlights in a contest that never really got going. Both sides huffed and puffed in attack, but far too often either elementary mistakes or the sticky underfoot conditions would scupper the hopes and dreams of both camps.
Ahead of kick-off, Chiefs coach Baxter rang the changes as he brought in ten new faces to his starting line-up from that which had lost at London Wasps in the league the week previous. It meant first European starts for Luke Cowan-Dickie and Alex Brown in the front-row, whilst behind the attacking threat was posed by the returning Matt Jess, Sireli Naqelevuki and Vainikolo.
The Warriors, meanwhile, were able to parade an equally strong line-up made up predominantly of Scottish internationals, along with a splattering of Fijians and the odd South African in No.8 Josh Strauss.
On a glorious day in the Westcountry following the recent storms, it was the home side who set the early tone as they quickly set about tearing into the Warriors. Early pressure saw them camp deep inside the Glasgow 22 and on three minutes they were rewarded as Slade – this week called up into the England Saxons squad for the first time – slotted the Chiefs in front with a penalty.
It was just the start Baxter’s side had craved and things got decidedly better as the half ticked by. More pressure from the hosts saw them use a collection of simple pick-and-go drives to position themselves by the Glasgow posts – where from the final phase of play it was Tongan international Vainikolo who picked up the ball and stretched far enough to score the game’s opening try.
Even then Irish referee George Clancy was not totally convinced, having been on the other side of the assembled mass of bodies, but following numerous reviews to the TMO, the decision – unlike others in recent weeks – went the way of the Chiefs. Slade added the conversion for a ten-point buffer.
*Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club/ Pinnacle Photo Agency
Referee: G Clancy
Attendance: 6,978
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Cardiff Blues (A), Heineken Cup, Saturday, January 18n (3.40pm)
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