Bath outlast Exeter in 11-try derby to go top of the Prem

Bath are top of the Prem after outlasting Exeter Chiefs in an 11-try West Country derby at the Rec.

The lead changed hands twice. Bath were 26-10 up at half-time, then trailed 33-31 midway through the second half before finding a way home, according to The Guardian.

Finn Russell was at the centre of it. The Scotland fly-half scored one try and kicked four conversions — the two-point kicks awarded after a try — to steer Bath through the chaos.

Bath struck first through Cam Redpath. He read a Harvey Skinner pass, intercepted it and ran 50 metres to score. Dan du Preez, Bernard van der Linde and Ted Hill also crossed, alongside Russell and a penalty try.

Russell’s own score came just before the break. It was Bath’s fourth try of the night, which secured a bonus point, the extra league point on offer for scoring four or more tries. It made the half-time score 26-10.

Exeter refused to go away. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored twice, with Jack Yeandle, Josh Iosefa-Scott and scrum-half Stephen Varney also touching down. Henry Slade converted three of those tries, and Skinner added a late penalty.

Varney had a night of extremes. He was sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes for a deliberate knock-on, when a defender illegally slaps the ball forward to stop an attack. While he was off the field, Bath were awarded a penalty try, worth seven points with no kick needed because a defender had illegally stopped a certain score.

There was history here. Exeter had beaten Bath 27-26 in June to reach the Prem final, ending the season of the defending champions, according to BBC Sport. Exeter produced a stunning second-half comeback that day, and Bath came within inches at the death after going through more than 40 phases in front of the line.

Premiership Rugby billed the return as a rematch, with Bath putting that play-off hurt behind them. The result moved Bath to 10 points and top of the table after Round 2, with Exeter sixth on three points, according to Premiership Rugby.

What makes this stand out is the swing. Bath looked comfortable. Then they looked beaten. Then they steadied. For fans, this means an early marker: Bath have points on the board and a derby win banked, while Exeter leave with pride and little else.