For the final time before the 2024/25 season kicks off Exeter University ran out at Topsham in front of a large crowd and put on a show.
The visitors to Devon were a strong Esher side that included a number of former players and BUCS Super Rugby champions including Josh Thorne and James Botterill.

However, despite the pressure from the National League 1 side, the hosts opened the scoring midway through the first half. A strong drive from Exeter pack allowed hooker Josh MacAndrew to ground the ball from the back of a maul and edge the uni boys in front.

The boys in green in white quickly extended their advantage with a move straight from the playbook. After it worked so successfully against Brixham last week, Allison popped the ball inside to Billy Kucera. The electric winger knows his way to the try line and finished it beautifully, easily stepping the fullback.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for the hosts. Despite the advantage on the scoreboard, Esher still had a strong hold on the game. They finally put themselves on the board thanks to the aforementioned Botterill. The former Exeter Uni winger on the end of a floated pass to walk it in in the corner. Once again it was game on at Topsham.

Wanting to make their dominance shown, Exeter re-took the lead just before the break. Some steady build up play 5m out lead to some space on the outside. Allison found his man and Kucera was in for his second of the game and 3rd in pre-season.

HALF-TIME SCORE: EXETER UNIVERSITY 17 – 5 ESHER

After half time, Esher ramped up the pressure, wanting to get themselves back into the game before it got away from them. With changes made up front, they showed this power in the scrum, driving over from 5m. Josh Thorne got the try and Sam Morley added the conversion. It was game back on.

With the game tense and the time dwindling away, space began to open up and mistakes crept in. Esher nearly re-took the lead following an intercept, but an earlier knock-on halted the celebrations before they’d gotten going.

Just a couple of minutes later there was a try, but for the hosts. Some brilliant play from replacement hooker Rob Gaffan, as he broke the line from nowhere. Now faced with the fullback, he kept his composure, delivering the final ball to Jed Findlay who ran it in under the posts.
Exeter back in control and now juts looking to see the game out with 20 minutes to go.

And that’s exactly what they did. Some strong defence in the midfield led to Esher getting nothing going in attack, and the uni boys coming away victorious.

FULL-TIME SCORE: EXETER UNIVERSITY 22 – 12 ESHER

A successful and unbeaten pre-season for the boys in green as they head into the opening round of the National League 2 West season next week. In a match up between 3rd and 5th from last season, Clifton will visit Topsham in hopes of a positive start to the season.