Waldrom double helps Exeter beat Gloucester

Two tries from former England No.8 Thomas Waldrom helped Exeter to a 19-10 Aviva Premiership victory over Gloucester at Sandy Park.

Exeter outscored Gloucester by three tries to one in the contest which keeps the Chiefs second on the league table.

A quick start to the game saw Exeter score three tries in the opening 22 minutes, but they failed to maintain the pace into the second half.

Two tries from Thomas Waldrom and another from Olly Woodburn saw the Devon side go into the break with a 19 point lead, but Gloucester were able to narrow the gap in the second period.

In-form Exeter stormed in to a five point lead after six minutes, as Waldrom charged down a James Hook clearance before displaying great footballing skills and sliding over the whitewash to open the scoring. Gareth Steenson converted with ease.

Just moments later Waldrom scored his and Exeter’s second try of the game, taking the scoreline to 12-0 with just ten minutes on the clock after coming from the back of a driving maul to touch down. Steenson almost judged the fierce winds to perfection, but his attempt fell just short of the crossbar.

A quick chip over the Gloucester defence wasn’t cleared up by full-back Rob Cook, allowing Woodburn to hunt him down and grab the ball to run home his first league try of the season. Steenson kicked impeccably through the swaying posts.

Five minutes into the second half, scrum-half Greig Laidlaw scored Gloucester’s first points of the afternoon from the tee, as his side looked to make up the 19 point deficit.

A surprise decision to take a scrum was followed by a strong push from the Gloucester pack, before Charlie Sharples found himself diving for the corner to score his side’s first try of the game. Billy Burns, who had replaced James Hook minutes earlier, converted expertly.

A frantic final ten minutes saw both sides in the quest for a bonus point, but with Exeter going within inches of scoring several times, the game ended with the TMO ruling that they weren’t able to reach the line.

Final Score Exeter Chiefs 19 (19) Gloucester 10 (0)

Scorers

Exeter Chiefs
Tries – Waldrom (2), Woodburn
Pen –
Con – Steenson (2)
Drop –

Gloucester
Tries – Sharples
Pen – Laidlaw
Con – Burns
Drop –

Match Officials
Referee :Ian Tempest (12th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Peter Huckle & Ross Campbell.
TMO: Stuart Terheege

Teams

Exeter Chiefs

15 Phil Dollman, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Jack Nowell, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 James Short, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Don Armand, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Ollie Atkins, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle (capt),1 Alec Hepburn

Replacements : 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Moray Low, 19 Jonny Hill, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Michele Campagnaro

Gloucester Rugby

15. Rob Cook; 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Bill Meakes, 12. Billy Twelvetrees, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. James Hook, 9. Greig Laidlaw (capt); 1. Nick Wood, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. Nicky Thomas; 4. Tom Savage, 5. Jeremy Thrush; 6. Sione Kalamafoni, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Ben Morgan

Replacements:16. Tom Lindsay, 17. Dan Murphy, 18. Paddy McAllister, 19. Mariano Galarza, 20. Ross Moriarty, 21. Willi Heinz, 22. Billy Burns, 23. Mark Atkinson