Exeter Chiefs player ratings from Glasgow Warriors win -'Sublime execution under pressure'

Exeter Chiefs’ Rus Tuima carries hard against Glasgow Warriors (Photo by Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Exeter Chiefs came back to once again win at the death in the 2023/24 Champions Cup as Henry Slade landed a 78th minute conversion to help his side beat Glasgow Warriors 19-17 at Sanday Park on Saturday.

Jacques Vermeulen, Dan Frost and Zack Wimbush scored Exeter‘s tries with Henry Slade converting two, while Kyle Rowe and Sione Tuipulotu scored Glasgow’s tries. Duncan Weir converted both and George Horne added a penalty and the game came down to the very last seconds of the match when Chiefs almost threw away their perfect record in the competition.

Exeter survived a last-minute drama when Glasgow replacement Euan Ferrie was denied the winning try following a controversial call from the officials, who deemed that he had broken a five-metre scrum too early meaning he was offside when he picked up Ross Vintcent’s poor attempt at a kick for touch to score.

South West rugby writer John Evely takes a closer look at the individual performances from the Exeter Chiefs players…

15 Tommy Wyatt – 7

The full-back had a blockbuster run midway through the first half, taking a short pass from Cairns he burst through four or five attempted tackles to make 30m with Glasgow seemingly well resourced in defence. End up with the most metres made in attack (66m) and most defenders beaten (6). Suffered s leg Injury on the hour mark.

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – 5

The winger cut a slightly frustrated figure as he was on the periphery of the match for much of the encounter, dispute coming looking for work. Took a knock to his upper leg but played on.

13 Henry Slade – 8

On his 50th appearance for Chiefs in the Champions Cup, Slade’s ability to make a last-split-second change of direction repeatedly saw him make half breaks or allow him to get his hands free while he also showed his defensive prowess, rushing up to force knocks on ripping the ball free from much bigger men. Once again showed nerves of steel to kick the match-winning conversion, sweeping the ball home with his magic left foot.

12 Rory O’Loughlin – 5

The Irishman got run over twice inside the opening three minutes by Warriors captain Sione Tuipulotu and never recovered from the stinger shoulder injury he got. Departed on 11 minutes by Joe Hawkins.

11 Ben Hammersley – 5

The youngster had a horror-show moment as he failed to deal with a difficult chip kick, opting to hack the ball on but the end result was he chipped it straight into the arms of Rowe who had too much speed to be caught. Showed nice hands to give the scoring passing for Wimbush to touch down for the winning try.

10 Harvey Skinner – 6

The fly-half ran the backline well, with some nice handling and individual runs.

9 Tom Cairns – 7

The scrum-half repeatedly sniped around the edges of rucks to keep the Glasgow defence on their toes.

1 Alec Hepburn – 8

Returning to start in the Chiefs frontrow, the former England international was rock solid at the scrum to provide Chiefs with a dominant platform to attack from.

2 Jack Yeandle – 7

The captain was bleeding from the head from early in the match but barely seemed to notice as he fired himself around the park with notable carries with Chiefs going through the phases just before half time which resulted in Vermeulen’s try. A decent day at the lineout.

3 Ehren Painter – 8

The Chiefs scrum was on top during his time on the pitch, forcing Glasgow backwards even on their own put in with an absolutely momentous shove moments before halftime to send the visitors in reverse close to their own line which forced Weir to knock on behind his own try line and handed Chiefs the field position for Vermuelen to score.

4 Rusi Tuima – 9

The young second-row had a standout game as a carrier as he put his sizeable frame to good use, including one eye-watering blast into the Glasgow line as he ran in with a 20m build-up. An all-action display, including getting a charge-down and big turnover.

5 Lewis Pearson – 8

The lock had the highlight moment of his professional career stolen away from him (correctly) after he put in a sensational wedge chip kick in behind the Glasgow defence into the path of Wimbush to put the youngster in for a try only to see the score scrubbed off for a knock on earlier in the build-up. It was sublime execution under pressure and his smile after it said everything. Outstanding all round contribution.

6 Ethan Roots – 7

The flanker is really growing into his role as one of Exeter’s primary ball carriers and finished with a team-high 13 carries for 33 metres in attack. The number one lineout option as well.

7 Jacques Vermeulen – 8

The indomitable South African found the tryline again as he powered his way over just on the stroke of half time in a real show of strength after taking a clever pop pass from Fisilau. Involved in every element of the game for Chiefs, often playing scrum half at the base of a ruck.

8 Greg Fisilau – 6

The number eight was lucky not to see red after he hit Duncan Weir high, head on head in the 10th minute of the match, but the fact the Scottish international dipped at the last minute provided the referees with enough mitigation to downgrade the offence to a yellow. During his time off the pitch Warriors scored just three points though. When back in the game he knocked on with the line begging from a 5m tap penalty as Chiefs got their wires crossed.

Replaced on 56 minutes for Ross Vintcent.

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost – 7

17 Nika Abuladze – 7

18 Josh Iosefa-Scott – 8

19 Matt Postlethwaite

20 Ross Vintcent – 4

21 Stu Townsend – 6

22 Joe Hawkins – 6

23 Zack Wimbush – 8