Exeter Chiefs win again at Worcester Warriors
Exeter maintained their unbeaten record at Sixways in the Gallagher Premiership but they had to battle hard to overcome Worcester 24-20.
The visitors trailed 17-3 at one stage but a much-improved second-half performance saw them run out deserved winners with a try from Harry Williams five minutes from time proving decisive.
Jack Maunder and Matt Kvesic also scored tries for Exeter, with Joe Simmonds converting all three and adding a penalty.
Perry Humphreys scored two tries for Worcester, while Duncan Weir kicked two penalties and two conversions.
A Simmonds penalty gave Exeter an early lead before Worcester responded by scoring a superb try.
From a line-out, 40 metres out, Cornell Du Preez made the first dent in the Chiefs defence before he and Michael Heaney combined cleverly to find Humphreys, who evaded Stuart Hogg’s tackle to race away and score.
Weir converted before another barnstorming run from Du Preez won Warriors another penalty, which Weir knocked over from close to half-way to give the hosts a 10-3 lead at the end of an evenly contested first quarter.
Exeter then showed excellent ball retention and handling skills to create an opening for Alex Cuthbert, who burst into the opposition 22 only to then concede a penalty for not releasing when he was hauled down.
However, against the run of play, Warriors scored a second try. Flanker Sam Lewis burst away from a line-out in his own 22 before another surge from him took the hosts into Exeter’s half. From there, swift passing gave Humphreys the chance to outflank the cover and score his second.
Soon afterwards, Worcester suffered a setback when the impressive Lewis was led off after being on the receiving end when he attempted a tackle and his presence in defence was missed as Chiefs scored their first try.
A well-timed pass from Tom O’Flaherty sent Jacques Vermeulen haring through a gap and Maunder was up in support to score to leave Exeter trailing 17-10 at the break.
Lewis did not return for the restart with Marco Mama being a permanent replacement. Exeter also made a change, an optional one, with scrum half Nic White returning after his World Cup duties with Australia.
The visitors started dominating possession and territory and when Warriors replacement Michael Fatialofa conceded a needless penalty for a reckless challenge, they took advantage with Kvesic driving over from close range.
Simmonds converted but a second penalty from Weir put Worcester back in front with 11 minutes remaining but Williams rewarded a period of 32 phases by crashing over to complete the comeback.
Photos from the match
Comments on RugbyPass
The URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to comments