Chiefs cruise into Premiership Rugby Cup quarters

A sizzling display of attacking rugby, which included a superb four-try haul for winger Paul Brown-Bampoe, saw Exeter Chiefs comfortably defeat Cornish Pirates 43-7, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the Premiership Rugby Cup.

The impressive Brown-Bampoe laid down an early marker when he ran more than half the pitch to sear through the Pirates’ defence for a fabulous opening score, but the Chiefs then spluttered for the next half-hour on a breezy day at Sandy Park

A sin-bin for Franco Milina opened the door for the Pirates to stir hopes of a shock when Tom Georgiou skipped through a missed tackle to cross the whitewash, Iwan Jenkins adding the extras.

Thankfully for Exeter, it was the jolt their performance needed, as Richard Capstick powered over to give his side a 17-7 half-time lead. After the break, the Chiefs exerted their authority in emphatic fashion, Tommy Wyatt touching down after another burst of pace proved too much for the Cornishmen.

Brown-Bampoe and Ethan Roots crossed for further tries to kill the game as a contest, although there was an occasional sluggishness and complacency in Exeter’s play, perhaps a symptom of their worrying league form this term.

As for Brown-Bampoe, he was simply too quick and too sharp for the Pirates, crossing for his hat-trick score before picking up a slick pass from Dan John to make it four tries from an impressive afternoon.

Bigger fish to fry for the Chiefs this season but any win is welcome for the Sandy Park faithful.