Exeter 43-13 Wasps: Stuart Hogg makes up for poor clearance leading to visitors’ first-half try but scoring twice as Chiefs put European exit behind them to score five times in final 30 minutes for comeback win
- Exeter Chiefs put their recent European exit behind them to beat Wasps 43-13
- The Chiefs fell went 13-10 down, largely thanks to Stuart Hogg’s poor clearance
- But the Scot scored twice later on the game to seal the much-needed victory
- Exeter scored five times in the final 30 minutes as Wasps’ resistance collapsed
Stuart Hogg went from villain to hero as Exeter continued to push for a home semi-final and moved on from their European exit.
Knocked out of the Champions Cup by Leinster last week, Chiefs were 13-10 down at half-time, having been outplayed for much of the first period.
Hogg’s first-half clearance gifted a try to Josh Bassett and the Scot cut a distraught figure.
Stuart Hogg went from zero to hero as Exeter came from behind to beat Wasps on Saturday
Hogg’s poor clearance gifted Wasps a first-half try but the Scot scored twice in the 43-13 win
But he scored twice in the second half, sparking a riotous final 30 minutes as Exeter scored five times while Wasps collapsed.
Exeter head coach Ali Hepher said: ‘The way to respond is to get on with it. He got a couple of tries and he will be in a better place.’
Once Hogg scored his first redemptive try on 50 minutes, Wasps raised the white flag to leave head coach Lee Blackett furious.
Wasps had led 13-10 but Exeter scored five times in the final 30 minutes to win comfortably
He said: ‘The thing we are not proud of at all is the way we rolled over. I was hopeful at half-time.’
Meanwhile, Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson called on his side to be more disciplined after Rob Du Preez was sent off during their 25-22 win over Gloucester.
‘We’re going to get caught out, it needs to improve,’ he said. ‘I’m fed up of saying “that was hard luck”, like it’s out of your control.’