CHIEFS GRAB BONUS BUT QUINS HAVE A ’MARE

Ulster’s Rob Lyttle dives over to score as Bath fall to narrow defeat

Sam Underhill was cheered to the rafters at the Rec as he played his first club match since the World Cup final and his superstar performances for England at the tournament.

The flanker flew into tackles in his familiar all-action style, but that extra spark was missing for him – and for his side.

Although the hosts dominated play in this Pool Three showdown, the crucial moments belonged to visitors Ulster, not least a last-gasp tackle in

EXETER CHIEFS got their Champions Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 31-12 bonus-point victory over La Rochelle.

Rob Baxter had challenged his players to “lay down a marker” on matchday one – and they duly responded to his call.

Tries from Dave Dennis, Tom O’flaherty, Henry Slade and Sam stoppage time that prevented a winning try for Bath winger Semesa Rokoduguni.

It was a dramatic finale mostly mundane game.

Bath coach Stuart Hooper did not hide his frustration, saying: “The margins are so tiny in this competition – it’s so tough as we saw today. We are disappointed as our accuracy wasn’t good enough. We let ourselves down.

“It was great to have the guys back from the World Cup and I thought that Sam Underhill was to a outstanding for us. It wasn’t down to him that we failed to win.”

The opener for Ulster came on 14 minutes when scrum-half John Cooney charged down a chip by rival Will Chudley and ran clear from the halfway line.

Freddie Burns quickly kicked two penalties for Bath to reduce the deficit to one point.

Right on half-time Ulster had an easy penalty close to the posts but Cooney sliced horribly wide. The visitors’ lead was 7-6

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Simmonds – with Joe Simmonds kicking 11 points – secured the points.

The hosts scored two tries, courtesy of Geoffrey Doumayrou and Kini Murimurivalu, but Exeter are now favourites to progress for only the second time in their history.

Elsewhere in Pool Two, Glasgow Warriors edged out Sale 13-7.

Daniel van der Merwe and AJ Maginty swapped tries but it was the boot of Scotland international Adam Hastings that proved the difference.

In Pool One, Garry Ringrose’s hat-trick helped Leinster to a 33-19 win over Benetton.

Harlequins’ campaign began in nightmare fashion after French side Clermont Auvergne ran in seven tries in their 53-21 demolition. The Ospreys lost 32-13 at home to Munster.