This week EURFC made the long journey up to Nottingham to face for the first time this season the new team on the block in BUCS Super Rugby Nottingham. With just one place separating the sides in the table this would prove to be a tasty encounter.

It was a poor start given EURFC standards as Nottingham got two early tries consecutively. The first of which came from a break down the wing and an offload and the second came from a cross-field kick going straight into the wingers' arms to go under putting the hosts fourteen points up with barely five minutes on the clock.

But in a game that would end with nearly ninety points being split between the two sides it wasn’t long, in fact a matter of minutes, and Exeter responded with their first try of the game. A beautiful grubber from Max the axe Courtis fell nicely for Barton to gather but the hard conversion was missed.

Nottingham weren’t backing down lightly as they scored their third of the game as once again, they were able to spread it wide through their backs to the outside of the Exeter defence and the fullback ran it in.

EURFC looked for a reply as good line speed off the restart meant they were able to rip the ball ad looked to play. However, play eventually broke down and Nottingham were able to get it back up to halfway.

However, magic Max on only his second start on the wing danced down the touchline from almost 40 meters out and was able to run it in and this time Barton converted.

From the restart a massive hit in midfield from Ribbons followed up by a knock on meant we had the scrum just inside our own half. Cairns broke down the blindside putting Exeter into the opposition 22’ and built the phases nicely with some lovely hands but play got pulled back for a high tackle on Cairns previously.

The ball got pumped five meters out for the lineout and from the maul the ball got fizzed out wide and hot stepper Joseland stepped inside and out and dotted the ball just on the line closing the gap to three points.

Whilst there was a break in the game from the tries the action continued to unfurl notably a great bit of scramble defence by EURFC after the hooker cut a clean line through Exeter recovered well and forced the mistake.

Nottingham for the first time in the game looked to extend their lead through the boot as Exeter conceded a penalty just inside their own 22’ and got the three.

The Nottingham scrumhalf thought he saw a gap in the backfield and put a nudge in behind and it rolled all the way just short of the dead ball line meaning it was a goal line drop out to Exeter. The kick went up, but the Nottingham second row caught it and charged ahead breaking tackles and was able to run it in himself under the posts.

Exeter were hurt by that one and wanted to respond immediately and immediately regained possession and had the penalty which got put to the corner. Unfortunately, Nottingham's maul defence was too much as they brought it down and earnt the scrum from which they won a penalty and cleared their lines.

HALF TIME SCORE: NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY 31-17 EXETER UNIVERSITY

The second half got back underway, and Courtis immediately made a break down the wing setting the play up nicely inside the opposition 22’ and a big response came in the form of Archie Hill going right under the posts with Barton easily converting.

After a brief period of time off Nottingham were pinged for not straight at the lineout and we had a scrum where EURFC showed the beginning of their scrum ascendency earning the penalty. The ball got put into the opposition 22’ and after another penalty was conceded; Barton put it in the corner.

And of course, it was El Capitano Ollie Leatherbarrow who dotted the ball over the line following the pick and goes after the maul and Barton converted again.

The momentum was clearly with the Exeter side as on the scrum from the restart they drove the Nottingham pack back and won the penalty. This time Leatherbarrow opted for the posts and Barton obliged adding the three putting Exeter ahead for the first time in the game.

Nottingham responded subsequently with a penalty of their own adding the three and levelling the scores again.
EURFC didn’t want to let them back into the game however and looked for a quick response of themselves with an attacking set in the opposition 22’. Cairns looked to dive over but an offside tackle meant it was a yellow card for the Nottingham blindside. With the penalty we took a quick tap and looked to drive over but were held up.

From the goal line dropout Benjy Joseland looked to attack immediately but a pass out to the wing was knocked on and Nottingham had the scrum inside their 22’. But Exeter’s heads didn’t go down especially not the sniping scrum half Tom Cairns who spotted the ball pop out the back of the scrum and kicked it ahead for him to regather and scored the try but the conversion was missed.

They boys were on fire in the next ten with play being mostly Exeter attack with Barton pulling the strings nicely. It couldn’t be all attack however as the EURFC defence would soon be tested as the Nottingham attack looked to be in the ascendency and building nicely it was an excellent turnover from Todd Muil that allowed Exeter to relieve the pressure.

After the ball was cleared up field from the lineout the driving maul was massive and pushed Nottingham back at least ten meters. Once the ball came out the maul like a knife through butter the man of the day Josh Barton split open the defence and went under the posts and converted his second score of the day.

With only a couple of minutes left on the clock Nottingham were determined to not give up. They had a driving maul that was brilliantly held up by Exeter and despite Barton’s goal line clearance going a good 40 meters they earned another penalty puming it back down field and after multiple penalty offences with the clock in the red the Exeter defence finally gave in and they powered over for their final score of the game and the conversion went in off the post.

Despite a shaky start to the game, with nearly ninety points shared between the two teams it was Exeter who came away with a big five points on the road heading into next week again away this time against Swansea.