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Exeter Chiefs completed a league double over their local rivals as a tremendous second half display saw them secure a bonus-point win and extend their unbeaten run to a fourth game.

Exeter had a strong wind at their backs for the first half and had an early opportunity to open the scoring after four minutes but Gareth Steenson missed with a penalty attempt. The game soon settled into the pattern of most of the first half with the home side electing not to kick into the wind, instead preferring to work their way clear through multiple phases of play, while conceding territory to the Chiefs who camped in their half. This admirable tactic was not without its risks and Exeter nearly pinched a try after 15 minutes as they seized a loose ball but Matt Jess knocked on just as the try -line beckoned. Moments later, Exeter were in the lead as the pressure created by the Chiefs’ aggressive defence allowed another penalty chance, which Steenson made no mistake with on this occasion.

The home side made a rare visit to Exeter’s 22-metre line from the restart as Clive Stuart-Smith’s charged down clearance kick created half an opening. Persistent handling errors at this stage were costing the Chiefs dear; one promising move up-field foundered when the ball was dropped and a Pirates scrum from another mistake nearly saw Scott Franklin through for a try after an initial break by Jonny Bentley.

Steenson extended the lead on 35 minutes with another penalty following a hashed Pirates clearance and the Chiefs were back with a try just three minutes later. Aline break by Steenson saw him link with Mark Foster and nearly put Neil Clark clear for a try in the corner. The Pirates chose to throw long at the subsequent lineout, failed to secure possession, and Andy Miller pounced on the loose ball and was driven over for the try.

Exeter raised their game in the second period and right from the off they put together their best and most prolonged attack of the afternoon. A high tackle on Nic Sestaret resulted in a penalty kick to the corner and, although the ball was turned over at the line out and the attack repelled, Exeter had signalled their intent. It was a surprise then that the Cornish side scored next. The Pirates had kicked deep into the Exeter half and were then awarded a penalty just a few metres out; they chose to take a scrum and a rather scrappy set piece saw flanker Blair Cowan pick up the ball and stroll over the line unmolested for a try.

The home score seemed to galvanise the Chiefs and they roared back from the restart to pummel the Pirates time after time until the valiant defence cracked on 57 minutes as Richie Baxter powered through two tackles to score a converted try.

The Chiefs were now playing with real precision and they extended their lead just three minutes later. Bryan Rennie made a powerful break and nearly put Foster through to score but from the resulting lineout Exeter launched the first of a number of rolling mauls from which, after stopping them twice by illegal means, the Pirates were powerless to stop centurion Clark crashing over.

The Chiefs scored their final try and secured the bonus point 10 minutes later as, from broken play, Baxter scooped up a loose ball and sprinted like a three-quarter from his own five-metre line and away from the covering defence for a brilliant individual try.

Although the Chiefs continued their frustrating recent habit of allowing well-beaten opposition to score soft tries at the end of games – this time Ben Gulliver and Dave Ward benefitting from the gaps which are often found once a lot of replacements have been introduced – Exeter kept playing decent rugby and could easily have had at least a couple of late tries of their own as they finished strongly.

Teams:

Cornish Pirates – Davies; McAtee, Devlin, Ireland, Jackson (Cook 76mins); Bentley, Doherty (Cattle 48mins); Storer (Andrew 58mins), Elloway (Ward 65mins), Franklin, Collins (Labuschagne 58mins), Gulliver (capt) (Rimmer 78mins), Cowan (Holmes 65mins), Betty, Evans.

Exeter Chiefs – Jones; Jess, Sestaret (Cornwell 66mins), Rennie (Gray 78mins), Foster; Steenson, Stuart-Smith (Thomas 41mins); Sturgess, Clark (Blythe 66mins), Budgen (Tui 53mins), Hayes (capt), Hanks (Gannon 72mins), Slade, Miller (Scaysbrook 60mins), Baxter.

Scorers:

Cornish Pirates – Tries: Cowan, Gulliver, Ward.

Exeter Chiefs – Tries: Miller, Baxter (2), Clark; Cons: Steenson (2); Pens: Steenson (2).

Officials:

Ref – Rowan Kitt; TJs: Steve Leyshon & Nigel Higginson.

Attendance:

3,661