After 5 months away BUCS Super Rugby was back with a bang at Topsham as Exeter got their vengeance on Loughborough after last season’s final.

With the cameras on, both sides felt the pressure early on leading to a couple of mistakes. Elliot Gourlay with perhaps the biggest as his kick was charged down by Ben Coen, with the fly half just unable to get to the loose ball before it went dead.

Despite this the visitors had the better of the opening plays, but time after time Exeter would come away unscathed.

Eventually Loughborough’s ill-discipline caught up with them as back-to-back penalties allowed the boys in green to get into the 22. Keeping their patience, the forwards get driving away until the damn broke. Tom Gulley scoring the first try of the new season from close range. First blood Exeter.

Things got worse for Loughborough a couple of minutes later as a knock on from a high ball was picked up by a player in an offside position. Penalty Exeter. Ben Coen stepped from 45m out and nailed the kick.

At this point the tides began to change. Sam Kildunne broke down the left-hand side and chipped over Ben Coen. It was a race to the ball, but the winger was knocked off balance by the Exeter 10. The referee adjudged it to be deliberate and Coen was sent to the bin for 10.

It was double jeopardy for Exeter as Loughborough had a 5m lineout, and converted at the first time of asking. Joe Plunkett being carried over by his teammates at the maul.

Despite being down to 14 men, it didn’t faze Exeter, if anything it inspired them. The boys in green came out firing and marched into their opposition’s 22. Once again they kept their patience, with the forwards going through the phases close to the line. This time it was captain Lucas Dorrell who made the breakthrough to re-instate Exeter’s lead.

Just 2 minutes later it was another try for the hosts as Lucas Brooke finished well under pressure. A pick and go from 5m out, the No. 8 was unstoppable and powered over to score Exeter’s 3rd first half try.

With a dominate lead, Exeter felt in control of the game, but there were plenty more twists and turns to come.

Now back up to the full 15 it was a time for Exeter to kick on, but Loughborough struck next. A miss pass from Sam Byran found Elliot Gourlay on an outside arc. The fullback beating a couple of play on his way to the try line.

Just as the hosts had done earlier in the half, Loughborough struck back immediately. In the final play of the half, Chris Preen managed to get an offload away to Gourlay again who this time had a far easier finish, dotting down untouched.

HALF TIME SCORE: EXETER UNIVERSITY 22 – 19 LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY

With game once again on a knife edge, and neither side wanting a losing start to the season, the start of the second half was tense. Both sides looking to boot more often and playing for territory.

However, it was the hosts who finally got the breakthrough. Strong carries by Nick Lilley and Jack Forsythe got them to within 5m and from their it was the same story. The forwards kept it tight, and Tom Gulley continued to be unstoppable from short range. A second try for the prop, doubling his record of last season.

As time dwindled away, Loughborough began to throw everything at the Exeter defence, and pressure was seriously mounting. However, time after time the boys in green handled it. This included a monster kick by Jed Findlay. The fresher launching it from inside his own 22, and bouncing out just 10m from the line. The perfect 50:22.

This gave the forwards another dangerous platform to build off. A strong carry by Seth Findlay left the Loughborough defence stretched and struggling to fold, allowing MacAndrew to pop onto Isaac Godfrey. The debutant fresher finding a week shoulder and powered over with the help of Bailey. What a first 5 minutes for Godfrey in BUCS Super Rugby.

Knowing they had to pull something out now, the visitors woke up. Gourlay handing off to Theo Mayell who went straight through a gap. The support was there from Eckerlsey and then Ed Harvey who despite calls of a forward pass finished the try.

Both teams then had opportunities to score denied by the referee. Loughborough’s Jacob Cusick and Exeter’s Kane James both released teammates into gaps but the referee deemed both to have been forward.

With just 10 minutes to go, Exeter still had a 10 point lead, and the visitors needed something special, and that’s when the big names step up.
Man of the Match in last season’s final, Dan Eckerlsey, won a crucial turnover just 10m from the try line. With everyone else falling asleep expecting the kick to the corner, the flanker went. He caught everyone off guard, and just managed to escape the clutches of Findlay to reach into the corner. The conversion from Wainwright made sure we were set up for a grandstand finish.

Despite the scoreboard pressure, Exeter handled it brilliantly. They maintained composure and possession, drawing penalties out of the Loughborough defence. Eventually the boys reached the 5m and there was no stopping the pack today. The forwards driving over from the maul, with Louie Gulley scoring his first of the season and making it a Gulley’s brothers hat trick on the day.

FULL TIME SCORE: EXETER UNIVERSITY 41 – 31 LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY

What a start to the season. An absolute firecracker of a game, revenge for the final, and a full 5 points to start the year.

Next week we had to Hartpury in another tough as we look to back up this week’s performance at the Atlas Arena.