HOGG STORMS BACK

SECOND-PLACED EXETER RALLY AFTER CUP EXIT BUT NEVER-SAY-DIE SALE STAY ON THEIR TAIL

EXETER CHIEFS head coach Ali Hepher watched Stuart Hogg go from zero to hero as they buried their Euro nightmare. Chiefs lost their European crown when they were booted out of the Champions Cup by Leinster last weekend and they were on the back foot for a time here.

Hogg’s blunder on 32 minutes, when he had a defensive clearance charged down bywasps wing Josh Bassett who collected to score, put them 13-10 down at the interval.

But Hogg led the charge in the second half. His 50th-minute score from Ollie Devoto’s pass snatched back the lead and four more turned it into a seven-try rout.

Hogg was fuming as he ran down the tunnel at half-time and came out after the break desperate to make amends – and he did just that with two second-half scores.

Hepher said: “He was disappointed but the way to respond is just to get on with it and you saw he did.

‘‘He got a couple of tries and he will be in a better place coming off the back of that.at half-time the biggest thing was pushing the positive heads.

‘‘The doubts of the loss

Exeter Chiefs .......... 43 Wasps .................... 13 last week kick in but we told them to get on with the job and stay positive.

“It is tough to handle a loss like last week.we have probably gone over that game as much as any game in the past.”

Wasps have lost six in the last seven in the Prem but were in the game here, despite trailing early to Devoto’s interception try and one from Jonny Hill, before being wiped out in the last 30 minutes.

Wasps skipper Joe Launchbury, carrying a groin injury, went off after an hour – summing up his side’s afternoon.

Angry boss Lee Blackett said: “The thing we are not proud of at all is the way we rolled over in the back end of the game.

‘‘We don’t want to be a team that plays in fits and starts, we want to be a team that plays for 80 minutes and I can’t accept that last 30 minutes.”

There was good news with Chiefs’ England and Lions wing Jack Nowell getting 20 minutes off the bench after six months out following toe surgery. EXETER: Tries: Devoto, Hill, Hogg (2), Cordero, Francis, Simmonds. Cons: Simmonds (4).

WASPS: Tries: Bassett.

(2). Cons: Umaga.

Pens: Umaga

ON THE ATTACK:

Stuart Hogg bursts through

for Exeter