Exeter Chiefs claim bonus-point win over Bordeaux-Begles
Last Updated: 22/11/15 10:47pm
Exeter kick-started their European Champions Cup campaign with a 34-19 bonus-point victory over Bordeaux-Begles at Sandy Park.
Wing Olly Woodburn crossed twice with Moray Low and Ian Whitten also scoring tries, while fly-half Henry Slade landed four penalties and a conversion.
The Chiefs dominated the opening 40 minutes, establishing a 21-7 lead. Bordeaux spent little time in the opposition half, but when they were there they scored in the corner through full-back Nans Ducuing, converted by fly-half Lionel Beauxis.
Further tries for the French side arrived after the break from inside centre Julien Rey and scrum-half Yann Lesgourgues, along with a Romain Lonca conversion, but they fell short of a losing bonus point.
The Chiefs pinned the visitors back into their own half in the opening minutes with Slade landing a penalty from in front of the posts, having turned down a similar opportunity a few minutes earlier.
From the restart the Chiefs mounted another attack. Jack Nowell began the move before offloading to Tom Johnson who fed Woodburn to sprint down the touchline to score.
The visitors made the most of their first serious foray into the Exeter half, displaying good handling and stretching the defence to allow Ducuing to score and half-back Beauxis to strike the conversion perfectly.
The non-stop pace of the game continued and when Bordeaux had a lineout close to their own line they lost the ball in the maul. Scotland international Low ripped the ball away to cross for Exeter's second try.
Slade added the conversion and then landed his second penalty to give the Chiefs an 18-7 lead midway through the first half.
Five minutes before the break Exeter looked to have crossed the whitewash again but referee Leighton Hodges, after consulting TMO Gareth Simmonds, ruled no score although the home side were awarded a penalty.
Another penalty and another scrum followed, and the visitors cleared their line only to be penalised 30 metres out and Slade made it 21-7 at the break.
Two minutes after the restart Exeter increased their score with Whitten powering over the line after good play by centre partner Sam Hill.
Ducuing looked set to score his second try but he was bundled into touch by Phil Dollman and Woodburn.
But minutes later the Exeter defence was exposed with Rey crossing the whitewash. The score instilled a new belief in the French side but that exposed their own defence with Woodburn scoring the bonus-point try.
Both sides utilised their replacements and the visitors reduced the arrears when Lesgourgues strolled through under the posts with replacement fly-half Lonca adding the extras.
Exeter, who seemed to have lost some of their spark, stretched their lead with Slade's fourth penalty, while Bordeaux squandered a late chance to claim a late bonus when Romain Lonca's kick to touch went dead.
