REPORT: Bristol Rugby 17 - 41 Exeter Chiefs

Tries from Thomas Waldrom (2), Olly Woodburn (2) and Sam Hill – plus 16 points from the boot of Gareth Steenson – cancelled out three scores from the home side, courtesy of Jordan Williams, Ross McMillan and Max Crumpton.

It was first blood to Exeter as early as the fourth minute when Olly Woodburn applied the finishing touches to a slick handling move to slide in the right-hand corner. Steenson’s touchline conversion was on the money to give Chiefs a 7-0 lead.

The hosts’ response was a spirited one and after a bout of kick tennis, a dangerous challenge from Chiefs wing Ian Whitten on Ryan Edwards saw him sent to the sin-bin.

But despite being at a numerical disadvantage, Chiefs added their second try of the evening on the 19-minute mark, when Woodburn was again on hand to receive the final pass after strong work from Sam Hill. Steenson was on target again from under the posts.

Bristol responded with character and hit back courtesy of a Jordan Williams try, after Ryan Edwards had shown burning pace to round Lachie Turner and send the full-back clear.

Pisi’s conversion was wide but Steenson made no such mistake on 28 minutes, firing over a penalty to stretch the visitors’ lead to 17-5.

It was 24-5 just three minutes later, as Thomas Waldrow burrowed over from close range following a spell of prolonged pressure in the Bristol 22 – and Steenson maintained his perfect record from the tee with the simplest of conversions.

Chiefs went close again shortly before the break, but a resolute Bristol pack held firm at scrum time and the teams retreated down the tunnel.

When they returned, it didn’t take long for Waldrom to record a second from close range, with Steenson’s conversion extending Chiefs’ lead to 31-5.

Bristol responded in kind with McMillan barging over on the back of a surging maul that had driven Exeter 15 metres – but Pisi’s conversion drifted wide as Bristol pushed for a way back into the game.

A second Steenson penalty gave Chiefs a 24-point cushion with 20 minutes to play, only for Max Crumpton to reduce deficit to 17 points, as the replacement hooker fought off two tacklers to touch down in the corner. Jordan Williams took over the kicking duties and fired over a pinpoint touchline conversion for 17-34.

Chiefs though, had the final say, when Sam Hill latched on to an offload and rounded the covering Bristol defence for a fifth score of the evening, while the pristine boot of Steenson made the final score 17-41.

Bristol: Jordan Williams; Ryan Edwards, Will Hurrell, Thretton Palamo, Tom Varndell (Amesbury 48); Tusi Pisi, Will Cliff (Roberts 64 (Roberts)); Kyle Traynor (Tonga’uiha 59), Ross McMillan (Crumpton 59), Gaston Cortes (Ford-Robinson 59), James Phillips, Mark Sorenson, Jon Fisher (Joyce 64), Jack Lam (c), Jordan Crane (Eadie 48).

Replacements: Max Crumpton, Soane Tonga’uiha, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Joe Joyce, Mitch Eadie, Martin Roberts, Adrian Jarvis, Charlie Amesbury.

Exeter Chiefs: Lachie Turner, Olly Woodburn, Sam Hill, Henry Slade (Short 71), Ian Whitten, Gareth Steenson (c), Will Chudley, Alec Hepburn (Yeandle 55), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Moon 55), Greg Holmes (Williams 55), Mitch Lees, Damian Welch, Dave Dennis, Julian Salvi, Thomas Waldrom.

Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Ben Moon, Harry Williams, Geoff Parling, Kai Horstmann, Dave Lewis, Ollie Devoto, James Short.

Referee: Tom Foley