Chiefs winning streak continues
Exeter Chiefs 36 Ospreys 22
Exeter Chiefs kept alive their qualification hopes in this season’s LV= Cup by seeing off visiting Ospreys in an entertaining, nine-try thriller at Sandy Park.
A week after overcoming Cardiff Blues in their final Heineken Cup game of the season, Rob Baxter’s side again emerged victorious over Welsh opposition thanks to tries from Luke Cowan Dickie (2), James Scaysbrook, James Phillips and Don Armand.
Fly-half Ceri Sweeney weighed in with the remainder for the Chiefs, who now sit second in Pool Two, a point behind Sale Sharks, who themselves won at home to league rivals Worcester Warriors.
The Chiefs head to Sixways to tackle Worcester in their final pool game next Saturday, whilst the Sharks travel to the Ospreys who could at least console themselves with a losing bonus point thanks to tries from Daffyd Howells, Morgan Allen, Matthew Jenkins and Tom Grabham.
With Europe over for another year for the Chiefs, it was back to domestic cup action for Devon’s finest as they welcomed the Welsh region to Sandy Park for a third successive season. As expected, the home side took the options to utilise their squad to the max, offering first-ever starts for academy young guns Lloyd Fairbrother, Stu Townsend and Tom Hendrickson; whilst there was a healthy splattering of experience in the mix as well with the likes of James Scaysbrook, Romana Graham, Ian Whitten, Sireli Naqelevuki, Tom James and skipper Sweeney all starting.
The Ospreys also had a youthful field to their line-up as head coach Steve Tandy took the opportunity to again run the rule over a number of the club’s up and coming stars on a cold and windy afternoon in the Westcountry.
As for the contest itself, the opening exchanges were largely uneventful as both sides struggled to get to grips with the howling breeze. Morgan’s initial kick-off when straight out of play, whilst opposite number Sweeney followed suit just two minutes later.
It was, however, the visitors who struck first, claiming the game’s opening try on nine minutes. Having been awarded a penalty after Scaysbrook had strayed offside in midfield, the visitors worked the ball inside off the resultant line-out; scrum-half Tom Habberfield took control of the resultant maul before feeding left winger Howells, who did the rest with a close-range finish.
The lead proved short-lived for the Welshmen as the Chiefs responded within five minutes with an unconverted try of their own. Just as the Ospreys did, the home side used a well-constructed catch-and-drive move to propel hooker Cowan-Dickie over the whitewash for his maiden first team score.
Parity between the two sides again last just a few moments as hesitation in the home defence by debutant Townsend allowed Grabham to pounce on a loose ball, before shipping the ball inside to the onrushing Allen who did the rest with little fuss. Morgan was again unable to convert, this time pushing his testing kick wide of the far post.
Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club / Pinnacle Photo Agency
Referee: B Whitehouse (WRU)
Attendance: 8,760
UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Worcester Warriors, LV= Cup, Saturday, February 1 (3pm)
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