Exeter Chiefs End 2024 On A High
Exeter Chiefs enjoyed a positive end to 2024 with a first victory of the Gallagher Premiership season at Sandy Park.
Heading into December, the Vertu-backed side was enduring a tough run of form in the league that left Rob Baxter and his squad at the bottom of the table, although the start of the Premiership Rugby Cup had provided some reason to cheer with three wins from three.
The month kicked off with a trip to South Africa to do battle with Sharks in the opening round of games in the Investec Champions Cup, and it was Chiefs who took the lead early on when Dan Frost crossed for the first of two tries – despite his side being a man down after Greg Fisilau was sent to the sin-bin.
The home side fought back however to take a 26-14 lead by the break, and ultimately took a comfortable 39-21 victory despite having three players sent to the bin late on.
Defending champions Toulouse arrived at Sandy Park a week later and ran in ten tries in a comfortable victory, with focus then turning back to the league as Christmas drew closer.
A trip to a Sale Sharks side with an impressive home record was always going to be a difficult challenge for Baxter and his men, despite the return of Dafydd Jenkins after injury, and things weren’t made any easier when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was forced off early on.
Sale would prove to be too strong as they secured a bonus point victory to make it 25 home wins in 27 games, with a home game with Gloucester providing the final chance of the year for the Chiefs to end the winless run against a team it had already beaten in the Cup.
Things looked good at half-time as the Chiefs roared into a 14-3 lead, with Frost and Tamati Tua both scoring tries before the visitors fought back after the break.
Gareth Anscombe and Jamal Ford-Robinson both crossed the line to give Gloucester a single point lead but a penalty from Henry Slade and then a third try of the afternoon from Josh Iosefa-Scott was enough to secure a hard fought win that lifts the Chiefs off the bottom of the table going into January.
| December Results | |||
| Sharks | 39 | 21 | Exeter Chiefs |
| Exeter Chiefs | 21 | 64 | Toulouse |
| Sale Sharks | 28 | 10 | Exeter Chiefs |
| Exeter Chiefs | 22 | 15 | Gloucester |