Chiefs power past Ulster
It means the Chiefs, who crept into the quarterfinals last year on a dramatic final weekend, are still in the hunt for a place in the last eight, although it will take at least a win in Clermont, or perhaps a bonus point victory, to join the top eight elite once again.
Ulster came into the game knowing they needed to win to give themselves a realistic chance of pushing on and stayed in the hunt throughout a very cagey first-half that ended all-square at 12-12. There were two tries each, with Sean Reidy rounding off a clean break through the heart of the home defence by Stuart McCloskey in only the second minute to draw first blood for the visitors.
Paddy Jackson missed the conversion, as did Gareth Steenson after Michele Campagnaro turned on the gas to cross for the equaliser midway through the half. That gave the Chiefs new life and Thomas Waldrom rounded off a strong period of pressure with a typical try from close range.
This time Steenson added the extras, but some thrilling footwork from the mercurial Ulster wing Charles Piutau enabled Jackson to level matters just before the interval. The home side dominated the third period and both Waldrom, from the base of a five-metre scrum, and Campagnaro picked up their second tries to give the Chiefs a bonus point and a 24-12 lead after 54 minutes.
Some more magic between Jackson and Piutau on the hour conjured up a third Ulster try to cut the gap to five points as the wing gathered an inch perfect kick-pass from his outside half. Jackson added the conversion.
Jackson then turned from hero to villain as he picked up a yellow card 10 minutes from time as he put his hand in as Exeter went to turn a three against one overlap into a fifth try. French referee Romain Poite awarded a penalty try and Steenson kicked the conversion.
The scorers:
For Exeter:
Tries: Campagnaro 2, Waldrom 2, Penalty Try
Cons: Steenson 3
For Ulster:
Tries: Reidy, Piutau 2
Cons: Jackson 2
Yellow card: Paddy Jackson (Ulster)
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Gareth Steenson (captain), 9 Dave Lewis, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Don Armand, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Moray Low, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Stuart Townsend, 22 Joe Simmonds, 23 Ollie Devoto.
Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Charles Piutau, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Andrew Trimble (captain), 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Dave Shanahan, 8 Sean Reidy, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Pete Browne, 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Ross Kane, 2 Rory Best, 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Jonny Simpson, 19 Franco van der Merwe, 20 Clive Ross, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Brett Herron, 23 Jacob Stockdale.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Stéphane Boyer (France)
TMO: Arnaud Blondel (France)
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