Bath have gained revenge on Exeter by winning an 11-try thriller at the Recreation Ground. The hosts scored four tries to take a bonus point into half-time, only to watch their rivals storm back and turn a 16-point deficit into a five-point lead within 15 minutes of the restart. But Bath found a response, and the late penalty try sealed a 40-34 victory.
The game was a rematch of last season’s semi-final, which Exeter won by a single point despite trailing 16-0 at half-time. That defeat ended Bath’s reign as Prem champions, and the hosts came out looking ruthless on this occasion. They grabbed two early tries and never let their opponents settle.
The First Half: Bath Take Control
Bath opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Cameron Redpath read Harvey Skinner’s intentions and intercepted a pass at point-blank range. He had a free run to the line from inside his own half, and the try put Bath ahead 7-0.
The second try came from opportunism. Scrum-half Bernard van der Linde spotted a gap, dummied and sprinted over from just outside the 22. Russell converted, and Bath led 14-0.
Exeter responded through Stephen Varney, who exploited space created by a big floated pass from Skinner. Varney touched down, and the conversion reduced the gap to 14-7.
Jack Yeandle’s try came from a simple maul from a line-out, and the score stood at 14-10. But Bath hit back immediately, with van der Linde combining with Ewan Richards before du Preez finished off a driving move. Russell converted his own try, and the hosts led 21-10.
Dan du Preez then went over from close range after another driving effort, and Russell’s conversion made it 26-10 at half-time. Bath had their bonus point in the bag.
Exeter Come Back Hard
After the interval, Exeter changed the shape of the contest completely. Kane James drove a powerful hole in Bath’s defence, and prop Josh Iosefa-Scott picked and went for his second try in two games. Slade added the extras, and the score moved to 26-17.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso then cut a devastating line from outside to in, finishing after a huge floated pass from Skinner found him on the touchline. His second try came moments later, after ex-Bath centre Will Butt danced through a gap in midfield to open up the game.
The penalty try changed everything. Varney put a hand out to stop a pass reaching Joe Cokanasiga, and a try was awarded. Varney was sin-binned, and with a man extra, replacement flanker Ted Hill bulldozed his way to the line. Russell added the extras, and Bath led 37-24.
Slade missed one penalty to reduce the gap to six points, but Skinner stepped up in the 79th minute from the 40-metre line. Exeter pragmatically ensured they collected a losing bonus point along with one for scoring four tries, while Bath took a maximum 10 from their two opening wins.
What Van Graan Said Afterwards
Bath director of rugby Johann van Graan spoke to BBC Radio Somerset after the game. “It was a crazy game of rugby once again, Bath versus Exeter,” he said. “We started the game really well but then they came out punching after half-time and scored three unanswered tries.”
“But then that’s why this game is a 23-man effort as we then came back with the impact of our eight (subs) who made a really good difference, so I’m really happy with the five points.”
Van Graan also praised the bench. “We’re very proud of our bench and numbers 16 to 23 at this club are just as important as numbers one to 15.”
What Baxter Said Afterwards
Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter spoke to BBC Radio Devon. “The important emotion is I’m walking away going ‘we’ve got a team here and we’ve got something to work with’,” he said.
“Last week was such a patchy performance (losing 45-24 to Gloucester) but today we showed a lot of good qualities.”
Baxter summed up the Exeter approach. “The qualities of being in a fight to the death, that’s what Exeter Chiefs are about. Do you want to be perfect or do you want to be in a fight every single week? Well we’ll be in a fight every single week.”
“I’m quite happy with that, that’s what we’re good at and I saw that today.”
The Teams That Played
Bath named a strong starting XV, with Russell at fly-half and du Preez leading the pack. The replacements included Frost, Kirk, Griffin, Hill, Reid, Carr-Smith, Ojomoh and Coetzee.
Exeter’s starting XV featured Skinner at fly-half, with Varney, Slade, Butt and Wyatt in the back line. The pack included Burger, Yeandle, Iosefa-Scott, Wilson, Jenkins, E Roots, James and Fisilau.
The replacements for Exeter were Gulley, Goodrick-Clarke, Tchumbadze, Beckerleg, Worley Brady, Wolstenholme, Haydon-Wood and Wimbush. Varney was sin-binned in the 61st minute.
The Key Moments
- Redpath’s interception try in the fifth minute.
- van der Linde’s opportunistic try.
- Varney’s try from the floated pass.
- Yeandle’s try from the line-out maul.
- du Preez’s try before half-time.
- Iosefa-Scott’s try after the break.
- Feyi-Waboso’s first try.
- Feyi-Waboso’s second try.
- The penalty try awarded to Bath.
- Skinner’s late penalty.
Why This Game Matters
The result means Bath start their Prem campaign with two wins from two, while Exeter have lost both of theirs. The margin of victory was narrow, and the game was decided by Bath’s bench coming on and making the difference.
The pattern of the game — Bath dominant first half, Exeter dominant second — will be familiar to anyone who watched last season’s semi-final. That game was a classic, and this one matched its intensity.
The comeback was remarkable. Exeter turned a 16-point deficit into a five-point lead within 15 minutes of the restart, and only the late penalty try stopped them from taking the game. Baxter’s assessment of “in a fight every single week” captures the spirit of both teams.
The Scorecard
| Team | Full Time | Half Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bath | 40 | 26 |
| Exeter | 34 | 10 |
The 11 tries between the two sides made this one of the most entertaining games of the young season. Bath gained revenge for last season’s semi-final defeat, and the manner of the win — a comeback against a side that dominated the second half — will give them confidence for the weeks ahead.
The sport delivered a thriller.
Source material: “Bath gain revenge on Exeter to win 11-try thriller,” the BBC.
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