Exeter Chiefs embarrass off-colour Gloucester in the Premiership Rugby Cup

Exeter Chiefs’ ploy of using the Premiership Rugby Cup to build momentum before a return to league appears to have worked as the Devon side blew top-flight rivals Gloucester away 31-7 on their home turf on Friday night.

The impressive display builds on 68-7 and 54-3 thrashings of Championship sides Cornish Pirates and Hartpury in the first two pool stage games of the cup and will go some way to rebuilding confidence at the club after the Devon side’s winless start in the Premiership to leave them languishing ninth in the table.

Exeter were full of intensity, fight and drive from the first minute as they systematically took Gloucester apart in almost every area of the game in the first half to score five tries without reply, and it could have even been more with Greg Fisilau held up over the line by some desperate defence from the shellshocked hosts.

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But there was no stopping Rusi Tuima, Ben Hammersley, Will Rigg, Josh Hodge or Stu Townsend as Exeter ran riot of the artificial turf at Kingsholm to see the Cherry and Whites head down the tunnel to a smattering of boos around the ground.

Tuima, fresh from England A duty, picked and powered his way over the line before Hammersley cut a line off a delayed pass from Will Haydon-Wood to slice through. Then came two stunning individual scores, first from centre Rigg who proved he can dominate Premiership standard defences as he handed off Ollie Thorley before racing down the tramlines. Player of the match Hodge scored the pick of the tries, taking a loose kick on his own 22 before speculatively taking off, rounding a trio of statuesque Gloucester forwards before exchanging passes with Townsend and touching down for an 80m score. Townsend then finished an alert break down the blindside from the outstanding Dan Frost.

On paper, these were two well-balanced sides, but on the pitch it was night and day as Exeter sliced and diced the hosts to force Cherry and Whites boss George Skivington into a furious halftime blast.

With his words ringing in their ears, Gloucester - who until Friday had scored an attacking bonus point in their first eight games this season, came out with more intent after the break as they wrestled back control of the scrum as the game progressed and tipped the territory and possession stats back in their favour.

With the pressure building on the visitors, Tuima was shown a yellow card after repeat team offences and with Chiefs a man short, Val Rapava-Ruskin blasted his way through a double tackle from Ethan Roots and Jacques Vermeulen to touchdown under the posts, but it was a mere consolation score.

Gloucester will take pride in preventing from Exeter scoring in the second half, but the silver linings are few and far between with a trip to defending champions Northampton Saints in the league next weekend having been thrashed 90-0 at Franklin’s Gardens on their last visit, while Chiefs head to current table toppers Bath.

Gloucester Rugby: 15. Ioan Jones, 14. Christian Wade, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Rory Taylor, 11. Ollie Thorley, 10. Charlie Atkinson, 9. Caolan Englefield; 1. Mayco Vivas, 2. Seb Blake, 3. Ciaran Knight, 4. Freddie Clarke, 5. Danny Eite, 6. Ruan Ackermann, 7. Lewis Ludlow (c), 8. Zach Mercer

Replacements: 16. Jack Singleton, 17. Val Rapava-Ruskin, 18. Afo Fasogbon, 19. Arthur Clark, 20. Jack Clement, 21. Charlie Chapman, 22. Max Knight, 23. Jack Reeves

Exeter Chiefs: 15. Josh Hodge, 14. Ben Hammersley, 13. Tamati Tua, 12. Will Rigg, 11. Tommy Wyatt, 10. Will Haydon-Wood, 9. Stu Townsend; 1. Scott Sio, 2. Dan Frost, 3. Marcus Street, 4. Rusi Tuima, 5. Richard Capstick, 6. Ethan Roots, 7. Jacques Vermeulen (c), 8. Greg Fisilau

Replacements: 16. Jack Innard, 17. Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18. Jimmy Roots, 19. Lewis Pearson, 20. Martin Moloney, 21. Will Becconsall, 22. Harvey Skinner, 23. Zack Wimbush

Referee: Joe James