Bath Rugby beat Exeter Chiefs 33-26 at the Recreation Ground on Saturday in Round Nine of the 2025/26 Gallagher PREM
18:26, 03 Jan 2026Updated 18:45, 03 Jan 2026
Ross Molony of Bath runs with the ball at Andrea Zambonin of Exeter Chiefs (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Bath Rugby showed remarkable composure when it mattered to go through 38 phases and score through Arthur Green to break Exeter Chiefs’ hearts and snatch victory at the Rec with the last play, in a titanic top four battle in the Gallagher PREM.
Bath had raced out to a 26-0 lead, recording the quickest attacking bonus point of the league season after Campbell Ridl was shown a 20-minute red card for a dangerous tackle on Henry Arundell after just two minutes. With Exeter down to 14 men, and smarting from last weekend’s defeat to Northampton Saints, the hosts exploded out the blocks to score four tries before the clock had ticked 20 minutes.
READ MORE: Bath Rugby 33-26 Exeter Chiefs LIVE: Reaction and full highlights from the Rec
Prop Beno Obano was first over the line, finishing off a line-out catch-and-drive after Tom Dunn, debutant lock Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi and Alfie Barbeary had battered away.
A tapped penalty provided the second for Barbeary, showing his best form since last season’s PREM championship campaign as he bumped off tacklers and span his way to the line.
No sooner had Finn Russell struck his second conversion than Barbeary was bullocking his way upfield from the restart, creating momentum for Bath to add a free-flowing third try for Santi Carreras after some lovely in-to-out passing with Louis Hennessey, who was on the field while Arundell underwent a HIA.
As Arundell returned after treatment and Exeter continued to concede penalties, Ollie Lawrence dotted down in the corner to reward another close-range drive from a line-out, with Tom Dunn smartly breaking blind and offloading to keep the attack alive.
Russell was wide with the conversion but Bath had their bonus point and a 26-0 lead.
Once restored to 15 players, Exeter began to contest the breakdown more aggressively and Henry Slade punished the hosts’ indiscretions with his kicks to the corner.
Hooker Joseph Dweba first scored from a catch-and-drive, and that try was quickly followed by a touchdown in the left corner by Olly Woodburn, who stooped to pick up Harvey Skinner’s wide pass before finishing with a dive. Slade converted both scores and Exeter were suddenly back in the game at 26-14.
Bath thought they had a fifth try soon after the break, but skipper Ben Spencer’s try was rubbed out for an inadvertent, but helpful obstruction as Cameron Redpath made an opening in the visitors’ 22.
Now it was Bath who were on the back foot, conceding a series of penalties that eventually forced them into desperate defence.
Led by their skipper, Dafydd Jenkins, the visitors surged to the home line and number eight Greg Fisilau plunged over for a deserved try after 67 minutes, but Slade’s conversion was well wide.
As the tension built, Bath were now hanging on for dear life, but Immanuel Feyi-Waboso squeezed in for a dramatic try in the corner, which Slade converted to bring the sides level.
Somehow, Bath dug deep to build a prolonged attack at the other end. Carreras was hauled down under the posts, but replacement Green was in support to score under the posts before Russell added the conversion as the Rec exploded with relief and celebration.
Bath Rugby: 15 Santi Carreras, 14 Henry Arundell, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Alfie Barbeary
Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Scott Kirk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Louie Hennessey, 23 Arthur Green
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Olly Woodburn, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Campbell Ridl, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney, 1 Scott Sio, 2 Joseph Dweba, 3 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 4 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 5 Andrea Zambonin, 6 Tom Hooper, 7 Ethan Roots, 8 Greg Fisilau
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Jimmy Roots, 19 Rusi Tuima, 20 Kane James, 21 Charlie Chapman, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Dan John
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe and Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Dean Richards
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