Davis try in extra-time seals cup win for Exeter
EXETER won their first silverware in three years as they beat London Irish in extra time to win a dramatic Premiership Rugby Cup final at Gtech Community Stadium.
Ignacio Ruiz and Jack Innard traded close-range tries before Irish’s Argentine hooker got a second, with Exeter’s Danny Southworth sin-binned.
Irish had Josh Basham yellow-carded with seven minutes left and Exeter capitalised with Josh Iosefa-Scott’s try to make it 1717 at full-time.
Jacob Atkins’ penalty early in extra time put Irish up, but Aidon Davis’ try just before the break sealed the win. It is the second time in as many years that Irish have lost the final after extra time – they were beaten on tries scored after drawing 25-25 with Worcester Warriors last season, as their 21-year wait for a trophy goes on.
It was Exeter’s third domestic cup triumph since promotion to the top flight in 2010 – having won the 2014 LV Cup and the 2018 Anglo-Welsh Cup.
Exeter skills coach Ricky Pellow said: “Full credit to London Irish, they were a hell of a side and they put us under a lot of pressure.
“There were points where we thought they were going to pull a bigger lead away from us, but what we did do was keep within a score, and when we went into extra time our set-piece got a bit of clarity back and that allowed us to take territory.”
The Irish pack – led by the impressive Lovejoy Chawatama – asserted their control early in the game, and a second scrum penalty set up their 13thminute opening try as Ruiz forced his way over from a maul.
Exeter were back on level terms 13 minutes later when Innard – who scored two tries in the final when Exeter last won the cup in 2018 – jinked over after a great take by Sean O’Brien, as the Chiefs pressurised Irish on their line.
Southworth was sinbinned for a head-to-head collision with So’otala Fa’aso’o after 32 minutes, and two minutes later Ruiz got his second as he was mauled over from another five-metre lineout, before Iwan Jenkins’ penalty reduced the gap.
Jacob Atkins’ penalty five minutes into the second half extended the Irish lead, but as the game wore on Exeter started to assert themselves as their more experienced replacements - such as Joe Simmonds and Ollie Devoto – came to the fore.
Basham went to the bin for a high hit on O’Brien as he tried to go in from close range, and from the resulting penalty Juan-Martin Gonzalez stopped Rus Tuima as he tried to score under the posts.
Irish were fortunate not to have another off the field when Ciaran Parker left Jannes Kirsten unconscious after a tackle, as the game went into extra time.
Parker almost scored in the sixth minute of additional time but Christ Tshiunza held him up – however, with a penalty advantage Atkins kicked a three-pointer.
From the kick-off Tom Wyatt broke through and set up a good field position, which Exeter eventually capitalised on as flanker Davis went over from a couple of metres and the Chiefs defence superbly repelled 13 phases of Irish pressure and then won a turnover to seal the title.