Bathtime
Twice a year if we need it or not.
Sorry this weeks newsletter is both late and fairly sparse. My excuse is once again that life has somewhat unfortunately got in the way of rugby stats and I’ve spent much of this week with a paintbrush or roller in hand. You may insert your own joke about watching paint dry.
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Ulster in the rear view mirror
That is now 3 defeats in a row in all competitions first time this season for Exeter Chiefs. Their last run of three defeats was the final two games of last season and the first one of this (Gloucester away in the cup).
It was also Exeter’s 4th defeat by a double figure margin this season. All 4 defeats by more than 10 pts have been in the cups this season at Gloucester and Ulster away. In contrast there were 6 league defeats by more than 10 points last season and 11 in total.
Bath Preview
For the fourth and possibly final time this season, Exeter Chiefs play Bath. They will be the 4th team Chiefs have played 4 times this season, with Chiefs having beaten Sale 3 times and Bristol and Gloucester twice each. Exeter have won both the cup meetings between the sides this season, but Bath won the league game despite Chiefs incredible comeback.
So far this season Chiefs have played 3 Prem games against Northampton and Bath who seem to be a cut above everyone else. The scores have been level on 80 minutes in all three of those matches, although Chiefs conceded tries in overtime twice.
Bath have won on their last Premiership 2 visits to Sandy Park. Winning 24-26 last April and 14-26 the season before. In the last 3 premiership editions of this fixture the away side has scored 26 points.
Chiefs had won this fixture 7 times in a row before that, in an era of dominance over Bath that seems a long time ago now.
Indeed Bath have 6 leagues wins in a row against Chiefs. We have to go back to December 2022 for Exeter’s last league win over Bath.
The last 3 Bath wins over Exeter have been by 13 points in total.
Chiefs highest score in this fixture was 57-20 in March 2020. Their best win against Bath was the 40-3 in November 2020 (when Tom O’Flaherty scored that try)
One to keep an eye on is that Bath are yet to score 30 points in the league at Sandy Park.
The number 49
In more than 500 games since promotion in 2010 Exeter Chiefs have scored every possible score under 50 with two exceptions 0 and 49. I’m not saying its an omen but this is either Premiership match 349 or they’ve played 349 Prem games. That variance depends on whether you count the expunged game against Worcester.