Sat 15 Oct 2022, 14:30
Hornets welcomed high flying Exeter University to the Nest and in a humdinger of a game which saw 12 tries and Hornets narrowly missing out going down by 48 points to 40.
After both sides getting promotion last season and the 2 games played against each other last campaign Hornets knew exactly what style of rugby Exeter were going to play.
Exeter certainly hit the ground running and their electric pace played by full time rugby students against a local team which meets up for a couple of hours midweek for training.
Before you could blink Exeter had opened up a 14-point lead and a tough afternoon looked to be on the cards for Hornets.
The Hornets scrum, which was totally dominant all afternoon and who the referee didn’t seem to think the students did anything wrong, were back pedaling at a rate of knots. In one such scrum on halfway the ball was secured and the backs could pounce and centre Connor Vickery slid through a gap and drew the fullback which allowed Charlie Carter to score in the corner.5-15
A thorn in Hornets side all season has been the restarts, and allowing the opposition to get straight back into the game and it happened again and sloppy play and Exeter went over again.5-21
Exeter kept up the pressure and were rewarded with a kickable penalty which was successful. 5-24
This time on Hornets restart the loose clearance kick from Exeter found Carter in space and he licked his lips at the chance to run at the students and he did with great effect. After Carter was deep into foreign territory, he slipped the ball to Vickery who scorched over and the conversion by Carter and Hornets were back in the game. 12-24
Another scrum in midfield and another series of quick breakdowns by the forwards and Kieran Ward spotted a gap and made the break and was supported by Courtney Harris who went over right on halftime and conversion to follow by Carter and game on.19-24.
The second half was just as frantic as the high-quality rugby by the visitors was being fizzled out by ferocious defence and the young boys were struggling with the physicality of the part timers.
However, Hornets were inching close and the kick for the corner set up a 5 metre lineout following a penalty it should have been bread and butter for the much more organized Hornets pack to trundle over but alas and not for the first time the lineout went astray and to top that Exeter went down the length of the pitch to score.19-31.
Hornets though didn’t give up and a lineout to the hosts on Exeter's 22 this time the lineout was won and the ball cleverly shipped to Ward who found Danny Bailey on the hoof and the big center went through and offloaded to Vickery to go over for his second. Converted by Carter. 26-31.
The game now was very much in the balance until the decisive moment!
Hornets through their pack were getting to within 5 metres of Exeter’s line and the one final pass was to send somebody over in the corner but alas it was intercepted and the scrum half ran the length of the pitch to score and the conversion had knocked the wind out of the Hornets sails. 26-38.
Again, a lineout for Hornets and this time from Exeter's own 22 they were frog marched back to and over their own line as Eryk Luckza was able to dot down and Carters conversion put Hornets in a second bonus point position.33-38
Alas Exeter got another penalty followed again by a try against the play to get an unassailable lead. 33-48
Hornets now playing in injury time had one more go and were rewarded as Carter went over to finish off a fine team try and his conversion brought the curtain down on a quality high scoring fast game of rugby. Final Score Hornets 40 Exeter University 48.
Hornets again narrowly miss out in a hard-fought game against a quality side but can really only look at themselves as missed opportunities especially in the line out went begging and allowed the opposition to control the game and the early 2 tries by Exeter had Hornets chasing the game all afternoon.
Another try scoring bonus point however keeps the points slowly racking up and some mouthwatering games on the horizon starting with the first ever league match away at Clifton next week.
