Baxter: We’re well off where we need to be
EXETER Chiefs’ hopes of making the Premiership play-offs were ended in an enthralling 11-try contest at Ashton Gate.
Defeat saw them drop to seventh in the table, six points behind fourth placed Northampton with just one game remaining.
It will be the first playoffs without the Chiefs since the 2015 and is the first time since Bristol Bears moved to Ashton Gate eight years ago that they’ve beaten their West Country rivals at their home ground.
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “I’m disappointed, but the truth is we’re well off where we can be and need to be.
“If we’d have been there or thereabouts at the end of the season it might’ve covered up a few things we actually need to deal with. Our basic execution hasn’t been good enough.”
Just a minute into the contest, Stuart Hogg fluffed his chance to open the scoring after a crossfield kick by Joe Simmonds put him through, but the full-back knocked on with a clear path to the try line.
Hogg looked to have made amends by scoring in the corner, but TMO Tom Foley spotted a knock on by Henry Slade in the build-up which ruled out the try.
Exeter dominated the first quarter in terms of possession and territory, but handling errors continued to be their downfall.
The game burst into life thanks to the genius of Bristol’s half-back pairing as they combined to score the opening try, completely against the run of play.
Jack Yeandle was penalised for changing his bind on halfway and livewire Harry Randall caught the Chiefs defence napping as he quick tapped and fed his fly-half Callum Sheedy who went over under the posts.
Exeter hit back through substitute Santiago Grondona’s close-range pick and go try as eventually their pressure told and Simmonds’ conversion levelled the scores.
But the home side, with a penalty advantage, went back in front through the dazzling feet of Charles Piutau who scored his second try of the season.
Exeter bounced back immediately as scintillating hands by the Chiefs backline was rewarded with Josh Hodge going over before half-time.
The Chiefs looked to have gone ahead early in the second half through Ian Whitten’s try but the TMO picked up a foolish late hit in the build-up by Stu Townsend that forced Piers O’Conor to be substituted. Bristol pounced on the resulting penalty as star man Piutau went over for his second try from two metres out as Exeter conceded a 14-point swing in a matter of minutes.
The Bears then scored one of the tries of the season as Sheedy broke through the defence and produced an audacious offload out the back door to send Alapati Leiua under the sticks for the try bonus.
Momentum swung when Jack Bates was yellow carded for a head-on-head collision in a tackle on Jacques Vermeulen and Exeter utilised their man advantage as James Kenny powered through to score.
The Chiefs hit back with Olly Woodburn’s bonus point try. The winger powered his way through Luke Morahan’s attempted tackle in the corner to level the scores and setup a fascinating final quarter.
In a see saw contest, Bristol went ahead once more as Slade’s pass was intercepted by Toby Fricker who sped through untouched. Morahan – who signed a new contract earlier in the week – sealed the win with a try in the corner after being picked out by a looping pass by Ioan Lloyd before Dave Ewers secured a losing bonus point for the Chiefs. our best and we were.
“I thought it was a harsh call, the yellow card on Jack Bates, and we’ve had a lot of those. There’s a little bit of inconsistency as you go through these things.”
Rob Baxter refused to blame injuries for the Chiefs’ below par performance: “We had international players on the field today who by their own omissions haven’t performed. It’s not just the absentees it’s the quality of how we’re playing. We’ve all got to take responsibility, me included and move on.”