Ben Morgan typified a slow-burning West Country derby that was decided by who made the fewest mistakes. The England No8, who had signed a new contract with Gloucester in the week, saved a try in the first half with an outstanding tackle on Jack Nowell but helped Exeter back into the game after the break by missing a regulation challenge on the same player. He then scored what proved to be the decisive try after Chiefs had claimed the lead for the third time.
Gloucester won just four matches in the first half of the Premiership campaign with their only successes on the road coming at the bottom two clubs, London Welsh and London Irish. Exeter were looking to consolidate their place in the top four but had a carefree attitude from the start even though this fixture had been decided by a point on the previous two occasions.
It was to be for a third time as Gloucester, showing a defiance that has been absent for much of the season, rallied after losing a nine-point lead they had accumulated early in the second half by conceding two soft tries in as many minutes and held on after a frantic period of play in which the lead changed hands four times in 17 minutes to earn their second league victory in seven.
Morgan had missed the past two matches, home defeats to Bath and Wasps, because of a hamstring strain and his return was timely a month before the start of the Six Nations: he will be up against his rival for the England jersey, Billy Vunipola, when Saracens pitch up at Kingsholm on Friday night. “This was a huge win for us,” he said.
“What was important was our resilience; we fought hard, scrambling back in defence and turning them over to relieve pressure. Scoring immediately after they had taken the lead with two quick tries was massive. I am delighted to have signed a new deal with Gloucester, the club I supported as a lad, and I would not have done so had I not thought we would achieve success. We have not had the ideal campaign but I am confident we will rectify that next season.”
Morgan regained his place in the England side from Vunipola in the second half of the autumn international campaign and Friday’s showdown between the two No8s will be watched with interest by the national management. “We had a difficult start to the autumn but finished the month well against Australia and I am looking forward to the Six Nations,” Morgan said.
“We are moving in the right direction and I am pleased to be fit again to battle for a place. I would not say I am in pole position for the No8 shirt because that would be arrogant. The coaches will pick on form and I will have a massive challenge facing Billy this week. Competition brings out the best in you.”
Exeter need to rediscover their best if this season is not to turn from a push to make the play-offs to a battle for a Champions Cup slot. It was their third successive defeat and while their head coach, Rob Baxter, could pinpoint the reasons for the reverses at Sale and Bath, he was baffled by the self-destructive nature of a second home defeat of the campaign.
“It is very frustrating because we are a better side than that,” he said. “Our exit policy, which has been strong for most of the season, failed us and we gave away tries too easily. The players were disappointed at the way we went in attack at Bath and perhaps we overplayed against Gloucester. I can make all the excuses I want, but we underperformed and have to put it right at London Irish on Sunday.”
It was Exeter’s 100th match in the Premiership – their first was a home victory over Gloucester – and the result was deflating for the club’s largest crowd of the season. “We are doing OK when you look at the bigger picture,” Baxter said. “I have said to the lads that if they want to play at the end of the league where the big boys are, you have to play like a big boy because teams will come after you. We lost a game we should have won.”
Exeter Dollman; Nowell, Slade, Hill (Whitten 62), Jess; Steenson, Chudley (Thomas 56); Moon (Rimmer 57), Yeandle (Cowan-Dickie 57), Low (Francis 54), Mumm (capt), Lees (Sexton 45), Ewers, White, Waldrom
Tries Nowell, Jess, Waldrom Cons Steenson 2 Pens Steenson 2
Gloucester Sharples; Halaifonua, Atkinson, Twelvetrees (capt), May; Hook, Laidlaw; Wood, Dawidiuk (Lutui 54), Afoa (Knight 74), Savage, Palmer, Kalamafoni (Evans 54), Kvesic, Morgan.
Tries Savage, Morgan Cons Laidlaw 2 Pens Laidlaw 3 Drop goal Twelvetrees
Referee A Small Attendance 12,621
