Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final
Exeter (14) 28
Tries: Hodge, Penalty, Roots, Wyatt
Cons: Hodge (3)
Ealing (10) 24
Tries: Hampson, Bird-Tulloch, Cornish
Cons: Worboys (2) Willis
Pens: Worboys
Exeter secured their place in this year’s Premiership Rugby Cup final by beating Ealing Trailfinders in a seesaw contest at Sandy Park.
Following a quiet first quarter, the game burst into life when Craig Hampson scored first for the visitors, following Tobi Wilson’s line break.
Exeter responded through Josh Hodge’s close-range effort, before further Chiefs pressure resulted in them being awarded a penalty try on the verge of half-time.
After the break, Ealing struck quickly through Reuben Bird-Tulloch, after Hampson’s half-break, before Matt Cornish dived over after Jordy Reid had initially pierced the Chiefs defence.
But Exeter were not to be denied, as first Ethan Roots reduced the deficit from close range before Tommy Wyatt’s score put the game beyond Ealing.
The result means that next weekend’s final against Bath will be held at Sandy Park, with the Chiefs aiming to secure their second Premiership Rugby Cup title.
Neither team looked at their best in the scrappy opening exchanges, but it was the visitors who got on the scoreboard first with a penalty from George Worboys following a no-arms tackle by Tamati Tua.
Ealing then extended their lead in dubious circumstances.
Worboys’ pass to the onrushing Wilson appeared to drift forward, but with the referee waving play on, Wilson fed Hampson to run in untouched.
Exeter, looking to win the competition for the second time in three years, responded immediately.
Following a collapsed maul in the Ealing twenty-two, the visitors failed to bring enough men around the corner, allowing Tom Cairns to feed Hodge, who ran down the short side for the Chiefs’ first score of the day.
Rob Baxter’s men then took the lead. Following a lineout in Ealing’s half, a slow driving maul was eventually collapsed by Danny Cutmore within inches of the line.
Referee Joe James then awarded the Chiefs a penalty try, with Cutmore sent to the bin for 10 minutes.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,
Craig Hampson strides through for Ealing’s first try of the afternoon
Four points down at the break, Ealing restored their lead shortly after the restart.
Following repeated phases, Hampson spotted a half-gap around the ruck and despite being tackled was able to offload to Bird-Tulloch, who outpaced Wyatt to dot down next to the posts.
Things got even worse for Exeter when Ealing secured their third try, through Matt Cornish. Reid broke through a gap in the Chiefs line before offloading to the rampaging Cutmore.
The second-row was hauled down short of the line, but with the Exeter defence disorganised, Hampson fed Cornish down the short-side to increase the Championship side’s lead to 10.
With their hopes in the balance, Exeter had to respond – and did so through Roots.
The back-rower spotted a gap in the Ealing defensive line and fought his way over with a pick-and-go from close range, following an arcing run from Hodge.
Wyatt then got the decisive score. Ealing lost the ball in a counter-ruck in their own half with the Chiefs full-back sailing through a large gap to score.
As Ealing looked to turn the game in their favour in the dying minutes, their handling failed them and Exeter ran down the clock to make the final once again.
Exeter’s Ethan Roots speaking to TNT Sports:
“They made us work for it the whole 80. We were never safe, we got a bit lucky a couple of times in those last few minutes – it just goes to show the quality that Ealing have. We had to scrap right to the final whistle. I’m very proud of the boys that we dug in.”
Ealing captain Rob Farrar speaking to TNT Sports:
“It was a real clash. This is a tournament we’ve gone at all year. We’ll rue the lost opportunities – you saw our inexperience in that last half, a bit flustered, not used to it at this level.
“I wish we had more opportunity to put our skills out there and show people how good we are. We feel like we’re ready to step up (to the Premiership).”
Exeter: Wyatt, Brown-Bampoe, Hawkins, Tua, Hodge; Coen, Cairns; Blose, Yeandle, Iosefa-Scott, Capstick, Tshiunza, Roots, Vermuelen, Fisilau.
Replacements: Frost, Keast, Street, Molina, Moloney, Armstrong, Skinner, Rigg.
Ealing Trailfinders: Wilson, Kernohan, Bird-Tulloch, Moore, Collins; Worboys, Hampson; Zigiriadis, Cornish, Davis, De Wee, Cutmore, Farrar, Reid, Bridge.
Replacements: Buckley, Whyte, Alo, Lonsdale, Newman, Williams, Willis, Dykes.
Yellow Cards: Cutmore
Referee: Joe James
