Exeter cash in on Rees-zammit mistake
The sight of some Gloucester players smiling and posing for pictures at the final whistle of a game they should have won was yet more proof the Gallagher Premiership must not be ringfenced.
Were there relegation from the division, this would be exactly the sort of defeat which might leave the Cherry and Whites in danger of dropping into the Championship come the end of the campaign.
George Skivington’s men threw away victory. Both he and his players should have been distraught at losing, but it did not seem that way as the likes of Chris Harris, Billy Twelvetrees and Adam Hastings did the rounds with supporters.
Yes, mingling with fans after the pandemic is important, but the lack of jeopardy in the Premiership means the pain of defeat is brushed off all too easily. That is how it seems and it is unacceptable. Exeter deserve credit for their gritty victory, even though they were nowhere near their best. The Chiefs were there for the taking.
Gloucester head coach Skivington said his side had not been clinical enough: “We knew the challenge against Exeter was going to be work rate, and we were outstanding in that area and with our physicality.
“We had chances, but we weren’t accurate enough and made a few basic errors. We need to be more clinical if we want to stay in the top half of the table.”
Gloucester had so many chances, but in the end a mistake from Wales wing Louis Rees-zammit allowed Exeter lock Will Witty to score the match-winning try. Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter saw his team avoid a second straight defeat and acknowledged the “privilege” of playing in the Premiership.
“It was a very hard-fought win. It
felt like one of those early victories when we first came up into the Premiership. I told the players they should never forget the privilege of playing Premiership rugby.
“They had that feeling, and they will enjoy the pasties and cider on the bus trip home.”
Exeter immediately went ahead through two Harvey Skinner penalties. A third Skinner kick, this time from his own half, dropped short. Gloucester’s first attack saw them get a strong line-out rumble going as they sensed a potential weakness in the Exeter pack.
They even turned down what would have been six points after winning two penalties, and it proved to be a wise decision as hooker Jack Singleton was driven over. Hastings converted. Gloucester then stretched the game. Twel
vetrees fixed the defence and Rees-zammit flew down the wing. His support was tackled into touch, but Gloucester were now playing on the front foot. Hastings added two quick penalties, the second after Exeter backchat moved the Scotland fly-half into more kickable range. It was all most unlike the Chiefs.
To sum up their problems, Jack Nowell was barrelled into touch, a line-out was overthrown, and an attempted drive was stopped dead in its tracks. On the verge of the break, Sam Skinner went for the corner, but Gloucester again snuffed out the threat.
Christophe Ridley had not been afraid to use his whistle from kickoff, and the penalties kept coming at the start of the second half.
Exeter needed to hit back and they did. Facundo Cordero was the
creator with a searing, arcing run. He exchanged passes with Harvey Skinner and a few phases later, prop Alec Hepburn went over from close range. The conversion went wide, and Harvey Skinner then missed the chance to give Exeter the lead from the tee.
Rees-zammit’s remarkable pace was surprisingly not enough to see him make the line as Gloucester broke clear following a short 22 drop-out. They went the length of the field, but a try did not materialise. Rees-zammit then criminally knocked on when attempting to clear. The error proved fatal to the home team’s chances as Exeter went over a few phases after the resultant scrum, with lock Witty the scorer.
The Chiefs then repelled Gloucester’s late assault to hold on for a fourth league win of the campaign.