Exeter take another maximum with bonus win over Glasgow
EXETER made it a maximum ten points from their opening two European matches with a scintillating second-half performance.
The Warriors led 13-10 at the interval but the Chiefs blew them away as big players Henry Slade, Jack Nowell, ex-Warrior Stuart Hogg and Sam Simmonds ensured they followed up last weekend’s 31-12 triumph over La Rochelle in France with another five-pointer.
Glasgow, who had opened their Euro campaign with a 13-7 win over Sale, were quickly out of the blocks and the pace of full-back Tommy Seymour enabled him to bounce out of a double tackle before offloading to Nick Griggs who crossed between the posts.
Exeter responded four minutes later with a Joe Simmonds penalty after a Glasgow scrum infringement.
The early action was fast and furious with an explosive burst and sidestep from Sam Simmonds breaching the Glasgow defence before Nic White was tackled, but Glasgow came back with George Horne orchestrating their attacks.
The Chiefs went ahead after Henry Slade’s huge left-foot penalty from the halfway line to the corner set up a series of powerful forward drives – interrupted by a tap penalty – before Jonny Hill forced his way over.
But the Warriors were soon level. Ian Whitten knocked on as he tried to intercept a Hastings pass, Exeter were penalised at the scrum and Hastings was on target from 40 metres.
Glasgow edged 13-10 ahead with another Hastings penalty after the Exeter scrum again fell foul of referee Pascal Gauzere.
It took Chiefs only 90 seconds of the second half to regain the advantage as Nowell produced a half-step and break – “as close to world class as you could ask, you won’t see another player in England do that,” purred director of rugby Rob Baxter.
It split the visitors open just inside their own half before Nowell turned the ball inside to send Slade in for the try. It rejuvenated the Chiefs and, after Slade found touch with a deep kick, the intensity of the Exeter tackling kept Glasgow pinned inside their own 22.
The almost inevitable score came after Joe Simmonds spurned a penalty shot at goal and went for the corner. Exeter produced their trademark catch-and-drive before Sam Simmonds burst from the back of the maul to score.
His try in the corner provided a stern test for younger brother Joe but the fly-half maintained his 100 per cent kicking record this season.
The bonus point came six minutes later with another try which oozed class.
Luke Cowan-Dickie, White with a high flip-on pass, Joe Simmonds with a long one and Ian Whitten were all involved before Slade put his inch-perfect kick over the Glasow tryline where speedster Tom O’Flaherty won the race to touch down.
The conversion was from an even wider angle but Joe Simmonds again nailed it.
Glasgow replacement lock Kiran McDonald (shoulder charge) and Exeter’s Sam Simmonds (killing the ball) were both yellow-carded before George Turner scored a consolation try following a late spell of Warriors pressure.
Exeter boss Baxter added: “We grew today and it’s given us a fantastic foothold in the competition.”