Hero Hogg has final say as Chiefs get back on song

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Exeter …………….19pts

Tries: O'Flaherty 13, Hill 31, Hogg 75 Conversions: J Simmonds 14, 76

Bristol …………….13pts

Tries: Purdy 70

Conversions: Sheedy 71

Penalties: Sheedy 19, 79

STUART HOGG, having recommitted to Exeter over the Christmas break, spearheaded a much brighter Exeter display although they still struggled a little to put a resilient Bristol away.

Hogg scored one try and made another and was involved in everything good for the Chiefs and for long spells Rob Baxter's men looked like the double-winning side of two seasons ago. As they poured forward there was much more offloading from Exeter than normal, they looked within touching distance of a really special performance.

Having said that they still stuttered a little midway through the second half against a Bristol side that just wouldn't go away. Chiefs are not quite there yet but in front of a record Sandy Park crowd of 14,100 with their shiny new stand in full operation there was a feelgood factor about this win that augers well.

After a rare free week over Christmas, Exeter looked in lively form from the off, having spoken during the week of the simple need to enjoy their rugby again and, possibly stating the obvious, score a few more tries. That has been the big deficit in their game this season.

There was visibly more energy in their play as they threw themselves at one 17 phase attack which Bristol did well to repel and then another attack was thwarted by a good turnover from Nathan Hughes, who hasn't enjoyed much rugby this season and looked keen to make up for that.

It was all very promising from the Chiefs and they struck gloriously in the 13th minute from a lineout 40 yards or so out when a superb long, fast pass from Jack Maunder sent Joe Simmonds away on an arc.

The threat of Dave Ewers in midfield held up the Bristol defence a little but instead Chiefs went out the back, Jack Nowell arrived and chipped ahead expertly for Hogg to hit the turbos, collect and send fellow speedster Tom O'Flaherty racing for the corner.

Of its type, a clinical setpiece move, it was a minor classic and just to broaden further those large home smiles Simmonds landed a peach of a conversion from wide out, fading it perfectly on the wind.

Bristol needed to steady the ship and although Callum Sheedy was wayward with his first penalty he was on target moments later to give Bristol a little encouragement as Exeter generally continued to dominate proceedings.

When they are really going well Exeter turn down easy kicks at goal and that's what they did on 27 minutes and from the resulting lineout Chiefs went to work, much more dynamically than in some recent games. They were patient but there was pace and intent to their work as they moved across the field right to left with a series of close quarter carries.

Bristol sensed the danger out left and two defenders rushed across to cover the blindside only for Jonny Hill to intelligently come back infield with his carry to blast over for a second try.

Simmonds narrowly missed with the conversion and for all Exeter's vim and verve and overwhelming superiority in terms of possession and territory that was how the score remained up to halftime. On the scoreboard Bristol were very much in the game even if it did feel like Chiefs had played them off the park in the first 40 minutes.

The second half began with Bristol continuing to hang on but gradually, as Exeter failed to garner the killer score, the visitors grew into the game.

Their defence had been brave but suddenly the excellent Henry Purdy, a first half replacement for Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra, Luke Monaghan and others started to fire a few shots of their own as Exeter took their foot off the pedal.

The game wasn't won or lost yet and a well anticipated interception try under the posts by Purdy really put the cat among the pigeons. Bristol couldn't steal it surely?

The answer was no, Exeter got their mojo back just in time and scored a wildly celebrated winning try through that man Hogg with Joe Simmonds, looking much more like his true self throwing out a long pass by way of an assist.

There was just time for Bristol and Sheedy to salvage a losing bonus point with a late penalty and it would be a hard man who would begrudge them that. Their heads never dropped and at some stage soon it will come good for Pat Lam's men.