Bath's dramatic 'Great Escape' as Exeter stage 26-point fightback

Blood, thunder and, for Bath, almighty relief. It would have been gut-wrenching for Exeter Chiefs to have lost this slugfest, having battled back doggedly from 26-0 behind to level the scores with five minutes remaining. Still, if every game in 2026 offers half this much intrigue, we have a captivating 12 months ahead.

Rob Baxter knows the denouement, obviously, yet will still endure a repeat. “It was like The Great Escape was wasn’t it?” said the Exeter director of rugby. “I’m going to be watching the game tonight and I’m going to know that Steve McQueen isn’t going to get over the barbed wire. But I’ll still watch it.”

Arthur Green was the hero here, the 21-year-old back-rower continuing an impressive breakthrough campaign by burrowing over to cap the assault with which Bath rescued themselves. It had begun a full 38 phases earlier, when Olly Woodburn batted Charlie Chapman’s box-kick in-field and Ross Molony gobbled the loose ball.

From there, just outside the Chiefs 22, the Bath forwards kept their composure and pounded relentlessly. Defenders Tom Hooper and Dafydd Jenkins each epitomising Exeter’s perseverance, fought hard. However, they could not repel the waves of blue, black and white. Thomas du Toit, the Springboks tighthead, is just about the best close-quarter carrier around and young Kepu Tuipulotu suits these sequences perfectly.

On the 37th phase, Ben Spencer finally released a back line that had been watching their heavies at work. Santiago Carreras cut back against the grain and almost reached the whitewash. That was the cue. Spencer left the base of the next ruck to Green, who poked through to finish.

Bruce Craig, the Bath owner overlooking those from his hospitality box, celebrated heartily. The champions are experiencing something of a sticky period, having lost to Toulon and then to Northampton Saints, and needed to dig deep to defy a Chiefs team who appear well capable of a play-off push. Exeter’s doggedness in this game was exceptional, even for the standards they have set since wiping out a 33-7 deficit against Saints back in September.

They repeated the feat of plundering 26 unanswered points on an icily cold but bright afternoon. Less than 150 seconds in, an overeager Campbell Ridl chased Stephen Varney’s high ball and upended Henry Arundell to be shown a 20-minute red card. Baxter had no complaints with Luke Pearce’s decision – “Campbell’s a young guy and he’s made a mistake” – but was disappointed with how Chiefs were “killed by our own enthusiasm” while down to 14 men.

Beno Obano shunted over for the opener and Alfie Barbeary added a second in similar style. Bath then turned on the style with a third that hinted at how Carreras could enhance Johann van Graan’s line-up. They spread the ball across their own 22, with Ollie Lawrence making ground on the right. When it was moved back to the left, Carreras released Louie Hennessey and followed up to trot under the posts from a return pass.

Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, an enormous 19-year-old making his Prem debut, having already been introduced to the Test arena by Italy, has an uplifting tale and contributed well in illustrious company. Steve Borthwick would have enjoyed Will Muir’s first competitive appearance since England’s second Test in Argentina six months ago. The rangy wing has battled ankle and calf troubles to return to fitness in time for the Six Nations.

Before Ridl had been replaced, as is permitted with these sanctions, Lawrence trailed another drive to add the bonus point following passes from Tom Dunn and Spencer. “You saw in the first 20 minutes that we were hurt,” Barbeary said later, hinting at the fallout from Northampton’s 41-21 triumph on this ground. Van Graan rated the early stages as the best Bath have been all campaign. And yet, Exeter responded before half-time. Henry Slade smacked penalties long into enemy territory, allowing Joseph Dweba and then Woodburn to eat into Bath’s advantage.

The third quarter, frankly, was forgettable. Spencer had a try disallowed for obstruction, with Cameron Redpath slinking behind the imposing frame of Opoku-Gyamfi, and Exeter held on. They had been trapped behind the halfway line before rallying superbly.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso fizzed through contact and Greg Fisilau grew in influence, deservedly narrowing the gap to 26-19 with 14 minutes remaining. Fragile last season, Chiefs have gelled into a serious unit. Lest we forget that star signing Len Ikitau is sidelined due to shoulder surgery. Other recruits, Hooper and Italy lock Andrea Zambonin among them, have settled nicely. Kane James is a bustling ball of energy to bring off the bench as well.

Feyi-Waboso was next to go over on the right, capping a formidable performance that confounded would-be tacklers, and Slade’s touchline conversion tied it up. It would not be enough, however. Exeter needed to make do with two bonus points because Bath jumped, or barged through, the barbed wire.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 5-0 Obano try, 7-0 Russell con, 12-0 Barbeary try, 14-0 Russell con, 19-0 Carreras try, 21-0 Russell con, 26-0 Lawrence try, 26-5 Dweba try, 26-7 Slade con, 16-12 Woodburn try, 26-14 Slade con, 26-19 Fisilau try, 26-24 Feyi-Waboso try, 26-26 Slade con, 31-26 Green try, 33-26 Russell con.

Bath: S Carreras; H Arundell (L Hennessey 6, Arundell 17), O Lawrence, C Redpath, W Muir (L Hennessey 57); F Russell, B Spencer; B Obano (S Kirk 57), T Dunn (K Tuipulotu 57), V Sela (T du Toit 57), E Opoku-Gyamfi (Q Roux 48), R Molony, T Hill, G Pepper (S Underhill 57), A Barbeary (A Green 57).

Replacement: T Carr-Smith.

Exeter Chiefs: O Woodburn; I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, W Rigg, C Ridl (D John 24); H Skinner, S Varney (C Chapman 48); S Sio (W Goodrick-Clarke 55), J Dweba (J Yeandle 55), B Tchumbadze (J Roots 55), D Jenkins, A Zambonin (R Tuima 67), T Hooper, E Roots (K James 63), G Fisilau.

Replacement: W Haydon-Wood.

20-min red card: Ridl.

Referee: Luke Pearce.

04:58pm Full-time: Bath 33 Exeter Chiefs 26 What a game. Bath surged out to a 26-0 lead before Exeter hauled them back in. Then, at the death, having failed to add to their tally since the 20th minutes, the hosts had enough to mount one more, muscular assault. They pounded and pounded and eventually pulled through.

Exeter are absolutely worthy of a play-off push, and leave with two bonus points. Bath, the reigning champions, will probably need to find another gear. But they can savour this victory.

04:53pm Try, Arthur Green! Bath 33 Exeter Chiefs 26 Bath pounded and pounded and pounded before, eventually, the ball was moved slightly wider. Carreras cut back in and Bath reverted to the pick and go, with Green the man to break Exeter hearts.

04:52pm 79 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 26 One metre out.

04:52pm 78 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 26 Three metres out.

04:51pm 77 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 26 Bath are now 10 metres out. It’s brutal stuff.

04:50pm 76 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 26 Bath are griding away in possession on the edge of the Exeter 22...

04:49pm Try, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso! Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 26 Wow. Exeter absolutely deserve this and Feyi-Waboso deserves his try. After more formidable work from his forwards, Feyi-Waboso slips over in the corner.

Having missed the last one, Slade bisects the uprights! Five minutes left.

04:45pm 70 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 19 Fisilau splits Bath off the shoulder of Chapman before Feyi-Waboso wriggles past another couple of blue shirts. Exeter are at close range again...

04:44pm 69 minutes: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 19 Kane James, Harvey Skinner and Olly Woodburn combine to engulf Carreras and force a maul turnover.

04:42pm Try, Greg Fisilau! Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 19 What a passage of play. Kitchen sink stuff from Exeter, who finally buckle the Bath defence. Fisilau is the man to stretch over. Immensely determined from the visitors.

That could be a big moment, though. Slade drags his conversion across the posts. Rusi Tuima is on for Andrea Zambonin.

04:38pm 65 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Another penalty for Exeter, this time for a maul offence.

04:37pm 62 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Bath creep offside in midfield and Slade will hit the corner. The carrying of Fisilau is becoming more influential and Feyi-Waboso is slipping off tackles at will.

04:36pm 62 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Dan John comes forward to beat Arundell to a high ball and Jimmy Roots carries strongly. Exeter penalty. Edge within a score and this could get tense. Kane James is on for Ethan Roots.

04:33pm 59 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Tuipulotu is probably lucky to get away with what looked like a wonky throw, there.

Spencer hoists one and Feyi-Waboso cannot hold on. Scrum to Bath just outside the Exeter 22. First-phase forward pass. It has been a tense, forgettable third quarter.

04:31pm 57 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Another looping pass from Russell in the same direction, and Muir can stretch his legs from a Carreras offload.

Again, the Chiefs recover and force Bath into touch. Johan van Graan has gone to his bench. Kepu Tuipulotu, Thomas du Toit, Sam Underhill and Arthur Green are all on, as is Louie Hennessey.

Tuipulotu is immediately pinged for faking a line-out throw, and Exeter clear.

04:28pm 55 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Russell loops the ball to the Bath left, where Muir releases Hill... but Tom Hooper is burrowing again and forces a breakdown turnover.

04:27pm 54 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Something of a stalemate here, and Exeter have gone to their bench to introduce a new front row of Jack Yeandle, Will Goodrick-Clarke and Jimmy Roots.

04:23pm 51 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Cheers from The Rec as Charlie Chapman, who is on for Stephen Varney, fumbles at the tail of a line-out.

04:22pm 50 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Some kick-tennis ends when Feyi-Waboso runs the ball away from his own 22 and Muir is penalised for failing to roll away.

04:18pm 48 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 A move that appeared to start in slow motion, featuring a gallop from Will Muir, has finished with Spencer scampering over off the shoulder of Cam Redpath. Hang on... I think we’re checking for obstruction.

Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi is penalised. He is adjudged to have impeded Bachuki Thucmbadze. The try is scrubbed off and that is Opoku-Gyamfi’s last action. Quinn Roux comes on.

Chiefs are still in this.

04:16pm 46 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Russell has a dart at the line before Guy Pepper - yes, that’s right - slides through a grubber kick. Feyi-Waboso is across to cover, though, and dances past three or four would-be tacklers.

04:14pm 43 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 We have a Bath put-in but there have been a couple of re-sets. Third time lucky? No. The crowd grow restless.

04:10pm 42 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 A couple of charges from Barbeary before Russell rolls his right boot over one to make Exeter play away from a line-out in their own 22.

04:09pm 41 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Varney clears to touch after Exeter gather the restart.

04:08pm Players back out Bath will start off this second period. They already have the bonus point secured, but will be wary of the dogged Chiefs.

03:55pm Half-time: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 A half of two halves, there. Bath were ruthless in punishing Campbell Ridl’s early 20-minute red card, plundering four tries, but Exeter responded impressively. They forced penalties, booted them to the corner and muscled a couple of scores themselves.

There were two pertinent questions before this afternoon: could Bath bounce back and were Exeter capable of pushing for the play-offs? I think the answer to both might be “yes”.

03:53pm 40 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Big collision in midfield and Pearce stops the game as he thinks Dweba is knocked out. Dweba isn’t knocked out, fortunately. We restart with a Bath scrum.

03:51pm 39 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 Ah, that’s a bit of a stinker. Tom Hooper fights to win another breakdown penalty but Skinner slices the touch-finder. It bounces over the dead-ball line and Bath will have a put-in on the opposition 10-metre line. Now they have a penalty. Do they take three? No. Spencer is going to the corner.

03:49pm Try, Olly Woodburn! Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 14 The Chiefs forwards eke out a penalty advantage before the backs pull the trigger, Skinner sliding behind Slade and then floating a pass towards the left. It’s quite wobbly, but Woodburn stoops to claw it in and finishes.

Slade’s conversion, again, is on target.

03:46pm 35 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 7 Well now. Exeter go to the air after regathering the restart and have another penalty. Slade drives it to within fives metres and Fisilau takes. Chiefs are mauling again...

03:44pm Try, Joseph Dweba! Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 7 Finally, seven minutes before half-time, Chiefs have a response thanks to a pushover. Slade converts superbly from close to the touchline,

Exeter won’t panic here and Bath will need to stay alert.

03:42pm 32 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 Exeter penalty and some handbags. Zambonin and Opoku-Gyamfi, Italy teammates, emerge giving one another a hug.

03:41pm 30 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 Barbeary pounces towards the ball but is not supporting his bodyweight, according to referee Pearce. Slade goes to the corner again.

03:39pm 28 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 Messy little period here as Dunn’s throw skews off the straight. Exeter put-in.

03:39pm 27 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 Maul turnover for Bath. Barbeary, Pepper and Opoku-Gyamfi were right in the thick of it.

And this time Bath are rewarded with the scrum penalty. Scott Sio is the man to be collared by Pearce.

03:37pm 26 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 A foothold for Exeter? They win a scrum penalty against the head and kick to the corner. Joseph Dweba finds Tom Hooper and they are driving...

03:36pm 24 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 Exeter back up to 15 as Dan John comes on at full-back. That’s been a costly card for Ridl.

03:35pm 24 mins: Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 Carreras now makes a defensive intervention, pressing up from full-back and batting a pass from Feyi-Waboso backwards.

Redpath and Arundell scurry up the Bath right until the ball comes left through Russell, Lawrence and Carreras. Ted Hill is out there too, but Exeter scramble well to force the turnover.

03:30pm Try, Ollie Lawrence! Bath 26 Exeter Chiefs 0 The line-out wasn’t perfect. It didn’t have to be. Molony hauled it in, the maul started moving and Dunn wriggled away down the short side. Spencer was in support and fed Lawrence.

Russell cannot quite add the extra two, but Bath have a bonus point at the end of the opening quarter.

03:28pm 18 mins: Bath 21 Exeter Chiefs 0 Mistake from Exeter. They creep offside from their own line-out. Bath kick to within five metres. Ominous.

03:27pm 16 mins: Bath 21 Exeter Chiefs 0 Beno Obano is fizzing around in defence, making some robust tackles.

Bath get the ball back from an Exeter box-kick and Russell almost hits a 50:22 in reply. Arundell has passed his HIA and is back on.

03:24pm 15 mins: Bath 21 Exeter Chiefs 0 Exeter are hanging on here. Ted Hill is the latest to stretch his legs, requiring Woodburn to scramble under pressure from Guy Pepper, Ross Molony and Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi.

03:23pm Try, Santiago Carreras! Bath 21 Exeter Chiefs 0 Too good, and a delicious example of how Santiago Carreras is going to enhance this side.

Bath run the ball from their own 22, with Ollie Lawrence carving onto an outside arc. When it comes back to the hosts’ right, Carreras ghosts into the line and sends Louie Hennessey into a gap before following up to receive a return pass.

03:20pm Try, Alfie Barbeary! Bath 14 Exeter Chiefs 0 Tom Hooper was mucking in desperately and looked in a strong position over the ball, but the Bath heavies have too much. Barbeary is the finisher this time. Russell converts nicely.

03:19pm 9 mins: Bath 7 Exeter Chiefs 0 Big carries from Lawrence and then Ted Hill. Exeter are under the cosh inside their own 22 and concede a penalty. Bath will tap it...

03:18pm 7 mins: Bath 7 Exeter Chiefs 0 That’s a statement from Bath. Slade attempts to send Feyi-Waboso towards the seam of their defence, where Dunn and Barbeary made a monstous, two-man tackle. Obano smashes into the ensuing ruck and there will be a Bath penalty.

03:15pm Try, Beno Obano! Bath 7 Exeter Chiefs 0 Pick, shunt, Bath are on the board. Obano is the scorer.

Arundell, meanwhile, is going off for a belated head injury assessment.

03:14pm 5 mins: Bath 0 Exeter Chiefs 0 Bath’s forwards are pumelling away at close range...

03:13pm 4 mins: Bath 0 Exeter Chiefs 0 Excellent response from Bath. Cameron Redpath goes to the line beautifully and pulls the ball behind Ollie Lawrence to Russell, who sends a clever kick in behind Woodburn.

Bath’s chase is strong and they earn a penalty. Russell will nudge it into the corner.

03:12pm 3 mins: Bath 0 Exeter Chiefs 0 It’s a bit of a messy strike move from Bath but Spencer finds space behind Feyi-Waboso with a searching kick.

Olly Woodburn then slices Bath up the middle, beating three or four defrenders. However, his offload goes to ground.

03:11pm 2 mins: Bath 0 Exeter Chiefs 0 Arundell is OK to carry on, which is a relief. Exeter will be able to bring on someone else after 20 minutes, but for now they are short-staffed...

03:09pm 20-minute red card, Campbell Ridl! Dramatic start.

Ridl took out Henry Arundell, who had climbed to catch a Stephen Varney box-kick with two hands above his head. Arundell is flat on his back being looked after by medics. It was a really, really awkward landing and I think the punishment is justified.

03:07pm 1 min: Bath 0 Exeter Chiefs 0 Scrum free-kick to Bath and they clear to touch.

03:06pm Kick-off Skinner hits it high to the Exeter right and Immannuel Feyi-Waboso gathers after Ted Hill misjudges the flight.

Exeter recycle and spread the ball to the left, where Campbell Ridl spills. A wake-up call for Bath?

03:04pm Players out Exeter first, and then - with some pyrotechnics - Bath.

Luke Pearce is refereeing today and Harvey Skinner will get us going.

03:02pm Nearly there Bath have blown a “call to battle” at every home game this season and we have just had this week’s effort. Three minutes until kick-off...

02:56pm Good signs for Ojomoh Max Ojomoh is out there running at fly-half against the Bath starters as the warm-ups finish up. That is good news for club and country after his calf injury against Northampton last weekend.

02:49pm England watch Tommy Freeman’s shift to outside centre could spell good news for Henry Arundell as far as the Steve Borthwick’s Six Nations plans.

Meanwhile, Greg Fisilau has made impressive strides over the course of this season and started both England A games at the base of the scrum.

02:39pm Half an hour until kick-off The bookies have Bath at 10- or 11-point favourites. I’d say they would be very pleased with that result.

02:28pm Full thermals for Henry Slade He’s just whacked a place kick from around halfway and has headed back into the changing rooms. Maybe to get another layer? In fairness, only t-shirts and shorts are required for Tom Hooper, Greg Fisilau and Andrea Zambonin.

02:25pm Just how cold is it? ...pretty cold. Forecasts suggest it will drop to -1 Celsius by the end of this one, and the touchline underneath the main stand already looks quite frosty.

02:23pm Opoku-Gyamfi’s introduction In the Bath engine room today, there is a Prem debut for Italy international Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi.

He’s a big unit, with a fascinating story. He took his first steps in the sport at Rugby San Donà, close to Venice and was picked up by Bath via Milton Keynes RFC, having joined the latter after his family emigrated to England during the pandemic.

Opoku-Gyamfi, still playing for Bath University, earned a Test debut in November against Chile and does not turn 20 until March. Read about his background here. It will be a big boost for Van Graan if he can thrive at senior level.

02:13pm Team news Johann van Graan tends to plan ahead with his match-day 23s, providing game-time for fresh faces if and when circumstances allow. There is a typical blend of youth and experience in this Bath team. We will get to one sizeable story in a moment, but perhaps the headline selection is that of Will Muir on the left wing. He has not played since the second Test of England’s 2-0 series triumph over Argentina last July. A wait of almost six months is over:

Bath: S Carreras; H Arundell, O Lawrence, C Redpath, W Muir; F Russell, B Spencer; B Obano, T Dunn, V Sela, E Opoku-Gyamfi, R Molony, T Hill, G Pepper, A Barbeary

Replacements: K Tuipulotu, S Kirk, T du Toit, Q Roux, S Underhill, T Carr-Smith, L Hennessey, A Green

Baxter, meanwhile, is picking and sticking. And you cannot blame him. He says he is “not too worried” about a six-day turnaround. Plenty of the front-liners were rested for the second game of the Challenge Cup clock, against Racing 92. Italy lock Andrea Zambonin has been one of the most effective signings of the season, as has scrum-half Stephen Varney.

Exeter Chiefs: O Woodburn; I Feyi-Waboso, H Slade, W Rigg, C Ridl; H Skinner, S Varney; S Sio, J Dweba, B Tchumbadze, D Jenkins, A Zambonin, T Hooper, E Roots, G Fisilau

Replacements: J Yeandle, W Goodrick-Clarke, J Roots, R Tuima, K James, C Chapman, W Haydon-Wood, D John

02:07pm Good afternoon Hello everyone, from an icily cold yet bright scene at The Rec in Bath for what should be a compelling afternoon.

Exeter Chiefs, eager to maintain their excellent start to the domestic season, are the visitors. They are aiming to extend their winning run in the Prem to six matches. Since going down 18-14 to Bristol Bears on October 11, Rob Baxter’s charges have dispatched Harlequins (38-0), Gloucester (39-12), Sale Sharks (27-26), Saracens (30-24) and Leicester Tigers (24-10) in the league.

Without separate try-line fumbles from Campbell Ridl and then Will Goodrick-Clark in the final stages last time out at Sandy Park, which stopped them from taking a bonus point from the Tigers victory, Chiefs would have been top of the pile at the beginning of round nine. What a contrast with last season, when they were struggling at the opposite end. Given Exeter have already travelled to Northampton, Bristol, Sale and Saracens, you have to think that they are well on course for a play-off scrap.

Today, a meeting with the reigning champions is bound to scrutinise those prospects. Bath were looking ominous at the beginning of December and battered Munster with an exhibition of wet-weather rugby to ignite their Champions Cup campaign. From there, however, they seem to have stumbled just slightly.

Toulon turned the screw and ousted Bath at Stade Mayol, their imposing forward power proving pivotal. Then, last weekend, a rotated Northampton Saints line-up ran roughshod over The Rec. Tommy Freeman bagged a treble of tries, Henry Pollock plundered two more and the hosts lost 41-21. Was that a minor blip or the sign of a prolonged wobble? My suspicion is the former. But a tasty encounter, which sees third take on fourth after last night’s results, will help us find out for sure.

Thanks for joining us. Team news next.

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