Campagnaro warms up for Six Nations with a hat-trick as young Chiefs shine
THE latest batch of prospects to roll off the Chiefs production line played a big part to boost Exeter’s hopes of a quarter-final place as their combination of experience and youth overwhelmed Wasps.
The Simmonds brothers led the way with 22-year-old barnstorming No.8 Sam grabbing a wrecking-ball try of the match while 20year-old fly-half Joe landed six conversions.
Scrum-half Stuart Townsend, 21, sniped around the edges all afternoon and grabbed his own opportunist try. With prospects like these stepping up as they return from their dual-registration learning experiences in the Championship and National League, the hopes of continued success look bright for Exeter.
Exeter skills coach Ricky Pellow said: “To put in that performance – and the scoreline – was really pleasing.
“The players fought really hard together. It puts it in our hands and if we can go to Bristol next week and get a result we can move through in the competition.”
One man missing will be Michele Campagnaro who signed off with a hat-trick of tries before linking up with Italy’s Six Nations squad tomorrow. The bigmatch experience of Campagnaro, Sam Hill, James Short, Wales prop Tomas Francis and packmates Mitch Lees, Damian Welch, Carl Rimmer and Ben White provided the base for the youngsters to strut their stuff.
It was all too much for a less-than-second string Wasps side and backs coach Lee Blackett admitted: “That was a very strong Exeter side. They have a massive strength in depth and took their chances really well.
“"We were disappointed to lose but our young lads stuck to it. The effort was there throughout and we were happy with the way the players dug in. We created the opportunities but just couldn’t take them.”
Campagnaro opened the scoring inside three minutes after the Chiefs, playing a penalty advantage after a trademark catch and drive, moved the ball along the line with fullback Lachie Turner providing the final pass.
Wasps hit back within three minutes as lock Will Rowlands outjumped CamWasps pagnaro as they competed for Townsend’s high kick and then finished the ensuing three-man passing interchange which opened up the Exeter defence.
As the Exeter forwards relentlessly pounded the line, Townsend flipped up the pass to send lock Mitch Lees in.
Campagnaro made it three Exeter tries in 16 opening minutes, gratefully intercepting Wasps fullback Piers O’Conor’s telegraphed pass to race 50 metres and touch down betweeen the posts.
Sam Simmonds grabbed the solo try of the match as he charged 40 metres through the middle, effortlessly sidestepping
O’Conor, to clinch the bonus point with brother Joe adding his fourth conversion from four attempts to make it 28-5 – a scoring rate of a point-a-minute.
That ratio continued as Townsend’s quick tap penalty left the Wasps defence flat-footed but Joe Simmonds suffered his first miss in five as his kick rebounded from the post.
Campagnaro, chasing his hat-trick, was frustrated by desperate tackles as he twice figured in an early second-half build-up but hooker Shaun Malton was there to drive over.
But the Italian was not to be denied for long and, taking Joe Simmonds’ long, looping pass, the winger raced down the line before arcing round behind the posts to leave the try-maker another easy kick.
Wasps put Exeter under serious pressure as both sides emptied their benches but the home defence held firm and Exeter produced a finishing flourish as 23year-old replacement fly-half Will Hooley’s pinpoint kick to the corner was collected by Turner for their eighth try.