Bath avenge Exeter defeat in 11-try thriller
Bath rugby club secured their second win of the new Premiership season, edging out Exeter Chiefs in a high-scoring contest featuring 11 tries between the two sides. The result offered a measure of revenge for last season's semi-final defeat to Exeter.
Bath moved to two wins from two matches in the new Premiership season after defeating Exeter Chiefs in a thrilling contest that produced 11 tries between the two sides.
The hosts raced into a first-half lead, with Cameron Redpath, Bernard van der Linde, Dan du Preez and Finn Russell all crossing the line to put Bath 26-10 ahead by the interval, already banking a bonus point. Exeter had responded with tries from Stephen Varney and Jack Yeandle earlier in the half.
Exeter fought back hard after the break, scoring three tries within 15 minutes through Josh Iosefa-Scott and a brace from Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to briefly move five points clear. Bath's bench made the difference in the closing stages: after Varney was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on that resulted in a penalty try, Bath used their numerical advantage as replacement flanker Ted Hill powered over, with Russell's conversion extending the lead beyond a single score.
Exeter's Harvey Skinner landed a penalty from 40 metres out in the final minute to secure a losing bonus point on top of the point already earned for scoring four tries. Bath, however, collected the maximum ten points available from their opening two fixtures.
It was the sides' first meeting at the same venue since last season's semi-final, when Exeter famously overturned a 16-point half-time deficit to win by a single point and end Bath's reign as champions. Luke Pearce was the referee for Saturday's match.
