Francis savours first try as Exeter gear up for ‘defining weeks’
Exeter 43-13 Wasps
Tomas Francis has won Premiership and Champions Cup titles during his seven years at Exeter, and now the Wales prop will depart at the end of the season for Ospreys having ticked off another accolade: crossing the try line for the club.
A low drive around the side of a ruck was enough for Francis to score his first try for Exeter, although the details he recalls of his score and what actually happened may differ ever so slightly.
“Yeah, 50-yard dash, stepping the full-back, a little chip through his legs,” Francis joked about his try. “Nah, just a pick and go. Normally I’m a latcher to help the other boys over but they were calling for me to pick and luckily I converted it.”
That score by Francis was Exeter’s sixth try of the afternoon against Wasps in a dominant second half, but the first 40 minutes had been considerably more testing. Wasps took a 13-10 lead into halftime thanks to Josh Bassett’s chargedown try and two penalties from Jacob Umaga.
Two quick tries by Stuart Hogg and Facundo Cordero settled Exeter down and from there they never looked back, scoring 33 unanswered points in the second half to build some momentum going into Friday’s top-of-the-table meeting with Bristol Bears.
“We talked before Wasps that the next two weeks would define our season,” Francis explained. “We knew if we just kept our foot on it and were a little bit more ruthless the tries would come.”
While Francis will not be able to enjoy further success in Europe with Exeter, after they were knocked out of the Champions Cup the previous weekend by Leinster, the prospect of winning a third Gallagher Premiership title is now the club’s top objective this season.
“Last week I was heartbroken that it was my last game in Europe for the club. There’s still a trophy to go and win and we put down a marker today.”
Wasps – who were beaten by Exeter in the Premiership final last season but are now ninth in the table after just six wins in 2020-21 – lost rising talent Alfie Barbeary in the warm-up due to a tight hamstring.
England lock Joe Launchbury has been struggling with a groin injury and was brought off in the second half, while Wasps’ other first-choice lock, Will Rowlands, was helped off the field after appearing to injure a knee late in the second half.