Exeter Chiefs 19 Glasgow Warriors 17
Another game, another Exeter Chiefs comeback, sealed by Henry Slade. The center screenwriter is on a Champions Cup campaign and this victory over Glasgow Warriors - which added to two previous victories against Toulon and Munster and sent Rob Baxter's men to the knockout rounds - was perhaps the most dramatic .
Slade's touchline conversion from Zack Wimbush's try in the 78th minute only set up an extraordinary finale in which the Chiefs almost undid their stubborn streak - twice. Exeter carelessly lost the ball and invited an overwhelming Glasgow counter and then, after scrambling across the pitch to save themselves, coughed up possession in a messy five-yard scrum.
Warriors flanker Euan Ferrie dived to the side and appeared to have broken into Sandy Park. It would not have been more than the visitors deserved. But as is the case in the modern game, television replays decide matters. Pierre Brousset, the French referee, ultimately ruled that Ferrie had prematurely separated from the final moment of play. In reality, Ethan Roots had also broken away from the Exeter side. Chiefs fans didn't mind. They roared with relief and enjoyed another brave effort.
Slade was praised by Steve Borthwick earlier this month and is sure to make a personal comeback by being named in England's Six Nations squad on Wednesday, some five months after the bitter disappointment of being left out of the World Cup celebrations.
The story continues
During a small meeting, the 30-year-old kept Chiefs running. His cutting break through the middle provided the position from which Wimbush extended through a scrum. Wimbush, the rangy 20-year-old who replaced Tommy Wyatt for the final quarter and was proactive in chasing touches from the wing, personified how youngsters are driving Exeter's revival. Russian Tuima stood out again with his strong attitude
Second time lucky🤩
Zack Wimbush's first attempt over the line was disallowed, but this is definitely a TRY! 🔥
View immediately #InvestecChampionsCup highlights 👇
- Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 13, 2024
"It's fair game for these guys, they have a 'never-say-die' mentality," Baxter said afterwards with a smile. "We were a little off today, but they came through." As for Slade, who marked his 50th Champions Cup appearance with Kevin Sinfield in the crowd, Baxter hailed a player who is 'loving it again'.
He added: "These achievements come from someone who thrives under pressure. It will be difficult for England to ignore him."
Baxter suggested his attack looked somewhat 'flat' and highlighted that a fresher Glasgow had last played on December 30. Despite injuries to a pair of excellent Scottish back-rowers in Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey, Warriors started well. A third Test regular, Matt Fagerson, who has been a rough pest of England in the past, was at flanker and continually frustrated Exeter.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith would rue the spurned chances in the opening quarter. Kyle Rowe's grubber didn't quite fall to Josh McKay and George Horne failed to collect a pass from the wandering Ally Miller. In between all that, Greg Fisilau, a mobile back rower who, along with the more combative Roots, caught Borthwick's attention, was booked for an awkward high tackle on Duncan Weir.
Horne scored a penalty while Weir underwent a head injury assessment and then created Glasgow's first try with a cute chip over the middle for Rowe. Trailing 10-0 on the stroke of half-time, Exeter confirmed their dominance through their scrum. After a long period of Warriors resistance, which defied the Chiefs heavies and lasted until the 42nd minute, Fisilau played a short pass and Jacques Vermeulen shunted forward. Slade's conversion put Exeter at 10-7 at half-time.
The second period started with a plethora of mistakes before Glasgow came up with a great move. Scott Cummings waltzed through from halfway and made contact with Horne. Sione Tuipulotu finished wide and Weir restored a 10-point lead which was quickly eaten by Dan Frost's close-range score. Slade's conversion, simpler than his later attack, went wide. Wimbush then thought he had gotten things from an unlikely source: a cross-field chip from Lewis Pearson. An Exeter coach screamed in fear as the mountainous lock started. In any case, the commotion came to nothing when officials noticed a domino effect in the construction.
After the Wimbush try which did hold, Exeter almost coughed up the match when Ross Vincent was harassed at the base of the scrum. In Baxter's words it was all "a bit farcical".
When Brousset contacted his television match official, the attempt was likely disallowed because there were "three or four fouls."
In the aftermath of Ferrie's finish, as Glasgow celebrated, Slade had persuaded Brousset to reconsider. Such diplomacy, which will not have been lost on Borthwick, often proves as important as anything else.
Match details
To score: 0-3 Horne penalty, 0-8 Rowe try, 0-10 Weir conversion, 5-10 Vermeulen, 7-10 Slade conversion, 7-15 Tuipulotu try, 7-17 Weir conversion, 12- 17 Frost try, 17- 17 Wimbush try, 19-17 Slade conversion
Exeter Chiefs: T Wyatt (ZWimbush, 61); I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, R O'Loughlin (J Hawkins, 10), B Hammersley; H Skinner, T Cairns (S Townsend, 57); A Hepburn (N Abuladze, 49), J Yeandle (D Frost, 49), E Schilder (J Iosefa-Scott, 49), R Tuima, L Pearson, E Roots, J Vermeulen, G Fisilau (R Vintcent, 57)
Replacements not used: M Postlethwaite
Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; H Jones, S Tuipulotu, S McDowall, K Rowe; D Weir (T Jordan 10-20, 73), G Horne; O Kebble (J Bhatti, 53), G Hiddleston (G Turner, 53), Z Fagerson, S Cummings, A Samuel (R Gray, 53), A Miller (E Ferrie, 77), M Fagerson, H Venter
Substitutions not used: L Sordoni, B Afshar
Referee: Mr P. Brousset
Yellow card: Fisilau, 10
Presence: 12,154
