Bath gain revenge on Exeter to win 11-try thriller

Bath exacted revenge on Exeter in an 11‑try thriller. Russell converted his own try, leaving the halftime score eerily similar to that sunny June day and mirroring the situation three months earlier. Exeter’s side responded fiercely, overhauling a 16‑point deficit to seize a five‑point lead within fifteen minutes. A powerful thrust by Kane James pierced Bath’s defence, setting up Iosefa‑Scott to score the prop’s second try in as many games. Feyi‑Waboso then broke through, chopping a devastating move from outside after a long floating pass from Skinner found him on the touchline. His second try followed a burst of play as former Bath centre Will Butt danced through a midfield gap to open the game. Unlike the previous encounter, Bath found a response as bench reinforcements added grunt. Redpath spilled the ball while the attack beckoned, but Exeter retained possession and Varney could not stop a pass that reached Joe Cokanasiga for a corner try. The resulting penalty try was awarded, the Italy No. 9 was sin‑binned, and with the extra man, replacement flanker Hill bulldozed over for the score. Russell’s conversion gave Bath more than a one‑score cushion. Henry Slade missed a penalty to narrow the gap to six points, but Skinner slotted a 40‑metre kick in the 79th minute, securing Exeter a losing bonus point for scoring four tries. Bath, meanwhile, walked away with the maximum ten points from their two opening victories. **Bath:** Donoghue; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, de Glanville; Russell, van der Linde; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels (capt), Richards, Pepper, du Preez. *Replacements:* Frost, Kirk, Griffin, Hill, Reid, Carr-Smith, Ojomoh, Coetzee. **Exeter:** Woodburn; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Butt, Wyatt; Skinner, Varney; Burger, Yeandle, Iosefa-Scott, Wilson, Jenkins (capt), E Roots, James, Fisilau. *Replacements:* Gulley, Goodrick-Clarke, Tchumbadze, Beckerleg, Worley Brady, Wolstenholme, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush. **Sin‑bin:** Varney (61) **Referee:** Luke Pearce