Bristol Bears managed to claw their way back from an early deficit to edge past Exeter Chiefs in a thrilling West Country derby at Ashton Gate. The Bears initially took the lead with a penalty from Tom Jordan and a try by Viliame Mata, putting them 8-0 ahead. However, Exeter fought back strongly with Henry Slade scoring a try and Ben Hammersley adding another to make it 14-8 in favor of the Chiefs at halftime.
The second half saw the Bears regain the lead shortly after returning to full strength, thanks to a try by Gabriel Oghre. Despite Exeter piling on the pressure, a try by Harvey Skinner was overturned, and Bristol sealed the victory with a last-minute penalty from Sam Worsley. The win marked Bristol’s second Premiership victory of the season, moving them up to fourth place in the standings as Exeter dropped to fifth.
The match was characterized by intense back-and-forth action, with both teams displaying strong defensive efforts and clinical attacking play. The Bears showed resilience in the face of injury setbacks and capitalized on key opportunities to secure the win. Bristol director of rugby, Pat Lam, praised his team’s fighting spirit and determination, hailing the victory as one of the highlights of his tenure with the club. Meanwhile, Exeter director of rugby, Rob Baxter, expressed disappointment with his team’s performance, particularly in the crucial period after halftime when they failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage. Overall, it was a hard-fought contest that showcased the competitive nature of Premiership rugby.
