Bath edge Exeter in 11-try derby thriller to go top

Bath produced a statement win at the Rec, edging Exeter Chiefs 40-34 in a wild West Country derby that had everything: interception tries, momentum swings, yellow-card pressure and a finale that kept the table race wide open. In an 11-try classic, Bath did enough to move to the top of the Gallagher Prem, but only after being pushed to the limit by a relentless Exeter comeback.

Bath strike early, Exeter refuse to fold

The hosts were electric in the opening stages. Cam Redpath’s interception set the tone, with the centre racing 50 metres to open the scoring before Bernard van der Linde exploited a gap in Exeter’s defence for another sharp finish. With Finn Russell adding the extras, Bath were 14-0 clear and looking in control.

But Exeter were never going to disappear quietly. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso immediately dragged the Chiefs back into the contest with a trademark burst of power and pace, finishing a move that showed exactly why he remains one of the most dangerous runners in the competition.

Half-time control, second-half chaos

Bath extended their lead through Dan du Preez, who forced his way over from close range after a favourable bounce and sustained pressure. Exeter replied through Jack Yeandle from a driving lineout, but Bath still had the edge, and Russell’s dummy just before the break delivered the bonus-point try and a 26-10 interval lead.

At that stage, the derby looked like Bath’s to lose. Instead, the second half turned into a full-scale fightback from the visitors.

Feyi-Waboso leads Exeter’s surge

Exeter exploded out of the dressing room. Josh Iosefa-Scott crashed over from close range, then Feyi-Waboso again showed his class by brushing aside defenders on his way to a second try. Henry Slade’s conversions narrowed the gap, and suddenly Bath’s comfortable cushion had vanished.

Former Bath man Will Butt then helped slice open the home defence, releasing Feyi-Waboso for a simple run-in that gave Exeter the lead for the first time. The momentum had completely flipped, and the Rec was stunned into silence.

As one Bath insider might have put it, “At 26-10, we thought we were in control. By 33-31, it was a different game entirely.”

Yellow card changes everything

The key turning point arrived when scrum-half Stephen Varney was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. Bath immediately made the numerical advantage count, with the resulting pressure ending in a penalty try and Ted Hill barging over to restore the home side’s control.

Exeter still kept pushing. Harvey Skinner stepped in for kicking duties and landed a late penalty to secure two deserved bonus points, but Bath’s composure in the closing stages proved decisive.

Russell controls the finish

Russell was central to Bath’s win throughout. He converted four tries, added the bonus-point score before half-time and kept Bath’s attack moving whenever the game threatened to slip away. His calm under pressure helped the home side survive Exeter’s best spell and finish with a result that could matter hugely in the title race.

Bath’s victory was not polished, but it was resilient and timely. Exeter’s attacking threat ensured the contest stayed breathless until the final whistle, yet Bath found enough answers when it mattered most.

What the result means

The win sends Bath to the top of the Gallagher Prem table and gives them another important derby success against the side that beat them in last season’s semi-final. It was a win built on big moments rather than control, but those moments are often what separate contenders from champions.

For Exeter, there was no shortage of positives. Feyi-Waboso’s two tries, the power of Iosefa-Scott and the attacking intent across the team showed real fight. But the Chiefs will also know that a sloppy start and the costly yellow card left them too much to do.

In a derby packed with twists, Bath found the final punch. Exeter brought the chaos. The table now has a new leader, and this one felt like it could echo deep into the season.