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Exeter hammer Bath to go eight points clear, Wasps snatch win over Tigers
By Peter Thompson
Rampant leaders Exeter Chiefs extended their winning run to nine matches with a 42-29 defeat of Bath and Kearnan Myall's try right at the end snatched a dramatic 32-25 victory for Wasps over Leicester Tigers.
Exeter edged a top-of-the-table clash with Saracens last weekend and the champions maintained their outstanding form by running in six tries to see off Todd Blackadder's men at Sandy Park and go eight points clear.
The Chiefs blew Bath away in the first half, Luke Cowan-Dickie, James Short, Mitch Lees and Don Armand going over to give them a 28-3 lead at the break.
Barnstorming number eight Thomas Waldrom added a fifth try as Exeter ran riot and Gareth Steenson added another, the fly-half converting his own score to take his tally for the afternoon to 17 points.
Bath were soundly beaten in the absence of Taulupe Faletau and Sam Underhill, but showed character to salvage a losing bonus point, England duo Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson crossing before Aled Brew and Matt Banahan touched down in the closing stages.
Wasps have now won four Premiership games in a row but there was a sense of deja vu for the Tigers as they were beaten right at the death at the Ricoh Arena once again, the hosts moving above them and into fifth spot.
Josh Bassett scored a last-minute try to give Dai Young's side a semi-final win over Leicester last season and this time it was Myall who burst his way over for the decisive try.
A quickfire second-half double from Tigers wing Jonah Holmes, replacing the injured Jonny May, on his Premiership debut against his former club put the visitors in front and George Ford's penalty made it 25-25 after an Elliot Daly try but Myall had the final say.
In-form Gloucester are up to second after hammering bottom side London Irish 39-15, Billy Burns claiming a double as the Exiles endured another miserable outing and were a man down for the second half following David Paice's red card for a tackle on Willi Heinz off the ball.
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Latest Comments
Yet Ethan Blackadder was one of our best against the World Champion Springbok. When he came back to the Crusaders later in the season , he made a huge difference, ( a long with others like Codie Taylor), we nearly made the Play Off's. Ethan has plenty of rugby left in him. His family , Dad Todd Blackadder must be very [proud of him. Todd Blackadder was a 3 time champion captain of the Crusaders, '98, '99 and 2000.An icon in this area. Also twice captain of Canterbury , '97 and 2001 when we won the NPC and Ranfurly Shield winning captain in 2000.
Go to commentsIt's the same criticism of Dmac and Mo'unga as well. Sadly the way the game has been heading recently it's the only way to break down a defence, and a player of Lawrences nature would have a very limited chance at doing that because he's too one dimensional.
Noah Lolesio is your sort of player and that worked OK, but only because his team is far more creative than Englands for example. The highly organized Irish attack was also another that didn't require much from the 10, but that is now changing with Prendergast who is in that league mold like the most new age 10's.
So it is in fact your two which would require even more change to make the most of than Marcus Smith.
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