Full Breakdown
Gloucester’s Seven-Try Triumph Over Exeter Chiefs Opens Gallagher PREM
By Drooid · · How we work
Match Overview
Gloucester travelled to Sandy Park for the opening round of the Gallagher PREM season and defeated Exeter Chiefs 45-24. The Cherry and Whites secured a bonus-point win after leading 26-12 at half-time and extending the margin to 20 points early in the second half. The victory marked Gloucester’s first league win on Devon soil since 2015 and their first away win of the campaign.
Key Performers
- Dewi Lake (captain, Wales) – scored two tries, including a driving-maul effort before the break and a second-half brace; pivotal in line-out work.
- Ben Loader – crossed the line twice, the first after a precise cross-field kick from Ben Redshaw.
- Seb Atkinson – added a try and supplied the cross-field kick that set up Loader’s second score.
- Will Joseph – produced a solo try after a burst of speed from his own half, described as the “try of the game.”
- Junior Denny – finished the match with a debut try on the final play.
- Jac Morgan – contributed to the forward dominance and was highlighted for his immediate impact.
Exeter’s notable contributors included Josh Iosefa-Scott, Ethan Roots, Stephen Varney, and debutant hooker Louie Gulley, who scored a bonus-point try in the closing minutes.
Statistical Summary
- Final score: Exeter Chiefs 24 – 45 Gloucester Rugby.
- Tries: Gloucester – Loader, Seb Atkinson, Dewi Lake, Will Joseph, Junior Denny (7 total). Exeter – Iosefa-Scott, Ethan Roots, Stephen Varney, Louie Gulley (4 total).
- Conversions: Gloucester – five; Exeter – two.
- Penalties: none recorded for either side.
- Yellow cards: Gloucester flanker Freddie Thomas (71 min).
- Attendance: 8,682 spectators.
- Referee: Matthew Carley.
Official Reactions
Rob Baxter, the Chiefs’ director of rugby, said his side were “quite poor today,” lacking ambition into the wind and failing to execute basic skills. He added that Gloucester were “clinical” and that the result left the Chiefs “genuinely frustrated.”
He highlighted the defensive resilience after Freddie Thomas’s sin-bin and the willingness of the players to “get up and go again.”
Rob Baxter also commented on BBC Radio Devon that the Chiefs’ display was “baffling” and that the loss could have a “massive difference” to their early-season positioning.
Verbatim Quote
“I thought Gloucester were good and knew what they wanted to do today,” — Rob Baxter, the Chiefs’ director of rugby
Context and Implications
The win gives Gloucester a morale-boosting start and a valuable bonus point, improving their early league standing and providing momentum after a solitary away victory in the previous season. The performance of new signings Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan underscores the impact of summer acquisitions, while the effective use of kicking and maul tactics highlights a balanced game plan. For Exeter, the defeat raises questions about preparation and adaptability, especially given the reported illness affecting the home camp and the team’s inability to counter Gloucester’s wind-assisted play.