Impressive Exeter Chiefs let loose on Cornish Pirates

The power game was applied by the Devon team’s Premiership performers, with star man Josh Hodge scoring two tries and nine conversions.

The Chiefs showed their intent right from the start.

From a penalty award, the ball reached centre Will Rigg who ran to score near the Penzance posts.

It was the first of 10 tries registered by the Chiefs in the match, to which full-back Josh Hodge added the conversion.

The visitors would soon score again, with wing Paul Brown-Bampoe scoring a try, again converted by Hodge.

The Pirates were grateful to full-back Iwan Price-Thomas who tidied up well on his ‘22’.

However, then came a third try for the Chiefs, with Brown-Bampoe latching on to Will Haydon-Wood’s chip kick - Hodge converting.

A bit of a one-sided affair thus far, though the Pirates broke their duck midway through the first half.

Fly-half Bruce Houston dummied and scored a try which he also converted.

Unfortunately, from a Pirates perspective, the Chiefs would record their bonus point fourth try right from the restart when Hodge gathered possession and ran 40 metres for another converted score.

The Chiefs would conjure up two more tries as halftime approached.

Frost applied the necessary pressure for the first, which was unconverted, and then there was a second converted score of the match for Rigg - Chiefs 40-7 up at the break.

Emerging from the break, it was not until the 58th minute that the services of the scoreboard operator were again required.

Play was more evenly contested before Pirates’ prop Jay Tyack was shown a yellow card, and after being camped in the Newlyn gate corner for a spell it was Exeter’s Harvey Skinner who slid over the line.

Man of the match Hodge added the extras, as he did to his second try of the game.

In the time remaining, further converted tries for Exeter were scored.

Final score: Pirates 7-68 Exeter Chiefs.