Exeter Chiefs v Bath - Looking at Premiership Semi Final 2

Exeter Chiefs v Bath - Looking at Premiership Semi Final 2

After the first finalist of the 2019-20 Premiership tournament is determined between Wasps and Bristol, focus will turn to the second semi-final which sees Bath battling it out with Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

 

Exeter has been hugely impressive this season, racking up 15 victories from 22 games and building up such a lead at the top of the table that they could afford to rest many high-ranking players as the tournament drew to a close in the round stages. A fierce and mobile pack of forwards coupled with potent and well-drilled backline meant that the men from Devon were always going to be a force to be reckoned with this season.

 

Bath breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday evening after the forfeiture of Sale Sharks in their fixture against Worcester. A win for Sale would have propelled them into the semis at Bath’s expense.  However, what’s done is done and Exeter now stand between Charlie Ewel’s troops and the Premiership final. Bath have been victorious in 14 out of their 22 outings and exhibited some great rugby along the way, even getting the better of Exeter the first time they faced each other, in Round 2.

 

An exhausting arm-wrestle at The Rec. in terrible conditions ended with the scoreboard showing 13-10 in Bath’s favour. The ball was kept amongst the forwards for the majority of play as the packs chiselled away at each other in the cold and the wet as the loyal Bath supporters cheered on. The tables were very much turned in the return fixture, however.

 

In Round 13, at Sandy Park, Exeter tasted the sweetness of revenge as they turned the screws on Bath with a thumping 57-20 victory. Any hopes Bath had of replicating their earlier win were quickly dashed as the Chiefs ran in eight tries in a dominant performance which was an accurate reflection of their form at the time.

 

In light of the competition as a whole, one would fancy the chances of Exeter in this one as they have looked like a team that would contest the final for a long time now. However, Bath have shown themselves to be an outfit of definite quality and, so close to the grand final, will surely make Exeter dig deep in what has the makings of a cracking game.

 

Team News:

 

Chiefs sees Olly Woodburn come in on the wing for Jack Nowell, who misses out with a foot injury. Ollie Devoto, another former Bath player, replaces Ian Whitten in the centre and up front, South African Jacques Vermeulen returns to the fold in place of Sam Skinner, who drops to the bench.

 

Bath Rugby’s Joe Cokanasiga will make his first start for the Blue, Black and White after spending 16 months out on the side lines following a knee injury. Cameron Redpath moves into midfield to join Jonathan Joseph and the young England centre replaces Josh Matavesi, who is named on the bench. 

 

 



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