Exeter Chiefs pass test but still work to be done

By Mark Stevens

Exeter ………….. 31pts

Tries: Vermeulen 5, Feyi-Waboso 43, Brown-Bampoe 64, Woodburn 71, Dunne 73 Conversions: Hodge 6, 44, 69

Ulster …………… 15pts

Tries: Sexton 14, Telfer 50, Andrew 58

In terms of a final pre-season work-out, Exeter did just about enough to secure themselves a creditable pass on the examination sheet.

They will, however, need to be much improved by the time Leicester visit Devon shores on Saturday in their Premiership opener.

A flurry of late tries – three of them in the final quarter – gave Rob Baxter’s side a more flattering look to what was at times a frustrating tussle with visiting Ulster.

Again, Baxter acknowledged post-game that ‘work needs to be done’ by his players, who were guilty of conceding a glut of penal-ties, many of them at the highly-contested breakdown.

First Half

Not that it looked that way in the early stages of this contest, the hosts taking the lead inside five minutes through South African forward Jacques Vermeulen, who was able to barge his way over from close range after team-mate Dan Frost had lapped up a loose Ulster lineout to propel his side onto the front foot, Josh Hodge adding the simple conversion.

Ulster’s response was swift and efficient, cutting the deficit within minutes as they made the most of a missed tackle in midfield by the Chiefs to create space for Zac Ward, whose looped pass to the right found fellow wing Aaron Sexton, who was able to cross in the left corner.

They were rare highlights in a first half that rarely hit any heights in terms of real excitement. The Chiefs huffed and puffed in attack, but too often either the wrong options or some staunch defence from the visitors curtailed their attacks.

Second Half

The second half again started brightly for the Chiefs as they stretched their lead inside five minutes through Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who marked his first outing of pre-season with a try.

The England wing picked up a pass from fly-half Harvey Skinner on his bootlaces, before coasting over by the posts for Hodge to convert.

Ulster took the opportunity to throw on a plethora of replacements and the fresh injection of pace and power quickly had the desired effect.

First, wideman Rory Telfer stepped back in off the wing to claim their second try, quickly followed by hooker John Andrew, who was able to burrow over from a close-range, driving maul to put them in front for the first time.

It was impressive stuff from the visitors, but they were unable to maintain their momentum as the game headed towards a close. Instead, it was the Chiefs who finished with aplomb, claiming two quickfire tries out wide.

Paul Brown-Bampoe claimed the first when he was put in by fullback Hodge wide on the right, then fellow wing Olly Woodburn followed suit, this time finishing off a pass by Skinner in the other corner to put them in the driving seat.

Replacement back row Jack Dunne wrapped things up late on, when he found a lovely injection of speed off the back of a ruck to steal over.