The Southwest Showdown promised fireworks as rivalry’s would be reignited under the floodlights of Sandy Park; Exeter University would play host to Bath for a grudge match months in the making. The bad blood between these West Country rivals needed no introduction.

Bath still bore the scars from that agonising last-minute defeat at The Rec earlier this season, when Exeter snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in their varsity clash. Now, with roles reversed and a sold-out home crowd baying for blood, it was the men in green who carried the weight of expectation as Bath arrived in Devon seeking retribution.

A victory for Bath would mean narrowing the gap between themselves and ringleaders Loughborough down to just 1 point, but perhaps more importantly, it would mean putting lingering ghosts to rest. But if Exeter were to stand any chance of remaining in the hunt for the top spot too, they would need to topple their neighbouring foes once more. But above all else, one thing was certain: only one side would leave Devon with bragging rights intact.

The faithful had arrived early. Perched firmly on the halfway line, the core of EURFC's support hollered and sang into the dark night sky, their voices echoing around the hollow bowl of Sandy Park. The cold winter air bit hard and sharpened the turf, the smell of beer lingered and nerves tingled as anticipation crackled through the stands.

Then came a sudden flash of white and green. Exeter’s cheerleaders burst into view, welcoming their hardened army to the field as an eruption of noise pierced the still night sky. The roar rolled across Sandy Park, the weight of expectation shaking off with every step the men took onto the grass. Moments later, a chorus of boos and bellows rained down from the stands as the visitors emerged from the tunnel, heads down, well aware of what awaited them. There were no friendly faces here.

Bath released the opening kickoff - the first arrow into the sky - and immediately set upon Exeter like hounds. The first five minutes brought relentless waves of attack, pinning the hosts deep in their own 22 and silencing the early adrenaline that had surged through the home crowd. It was far from an ideal start for Exeter, and things worsened when fly-half Nic Allison saw yellow on the fifth minute for interfering at a ruck.

Despite being reduced to fourteen, Exeter regained their composure and stuck by their game. Their defence stood firm under the early onslaught, gradually clawing back territory and control. From that resistance emerged belief - and then brilliance.

Winger Noah Fenton, later named Man of the Match, wasted no time in showcasing his quality. On ten minutes, the ball was flung wide as Sandy Park rose to will the winger forward. He beat his first defender with ease on the outside, then powered through another, and another still. Hauled back and dragged down, Fenton fought tooth and nail for every yard before eventually forcing his way over the try line, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Five points up, Exeter could finally settle. They allowed the roar of the crowd to wash over them and returned to their game plan, utilising clinical double shots to halt Bath’s ball carriers and forcing them to concede penalties under the weight of 5,000 fans taking joy in their every mistake. The hosts proceeded to press their set-piece advantage, and a scrum ten metres out presented the perfect platform for Fenton to strike again. Once more the ball swung wide to Noah Fenton, who this time had only one man to beat - Bath full-back Harry Walker - yet this was no easy finish to squeeze past the last man. But squeeze he did, and an acrobatic diving finish from Fenton in the corner made Exeter feel right at home with a 10-point lead.

But Bath, as dangerous as any side in BUCS Super Rugby, were never going to lose sight of what was at stake, and on 24 minutes, they struck back. One key difference between the sides was the notable size advantage Exeter held in the pack, their forwards towering over their counterparts. Despite conceding size up front, their mobility proved decisive. Bath turned to their nimble forwards, orchestrated by the ever-dangerous scrum-half Isaac Mears, as they punched holes through Exeter's retreating defensive line with quick-ball attacks. Having exploited their pace, they then unleashed big, bruising lock Isaac Sprengor, who crashed over to haul Bath back into the contest.

The remainder of the half became a scrappy affair. Both sides battled largely in the air to little avail, trading territory but unable to break the deadlock. Eventually, both sides disappeared down the tunnel with Exeter holding a narrow advantage.

HALF TIME: EXETER 10–5 BATH

The second half spelt danger for the hosts, as Exeter’s slender advantage was swiftly overturned. Bath struck early through number eight Will Keylock, who powered over from close range to level the contest. Fly-half James Beverly then produced the first successful conversion of the night, nudging Bath into the lead for the first time.

Exeter stayed firmly in the fight, but the balance tipped again on the hour mark. Co-captain Iwan Coyle spotted a gap in Exeter’s edge defence and sniped through before releasing a perfectly timed offload to his inside man, Isaac Mears. The scrum-half, who had earlier orchestrated Bath’s forward play, was rewarded as he darted over to extend the visitors’ advantage.

Sensing the contest slipping away, Exeter turned to their bench in search of renewed energy. The impact was immediate. Fresh legs carried the hosts downfield and, with ten minutes remaining, hooker Tyler Bayley continued his prolific scoring run, barging over to drag Exeter back within reach.

Tension gripped Sandy Park as both sides traded territory. Bath, keen to protect their lead, turned to conservative rugby, avoiding risk and refusing to overcommit at the breakdown. That caution proved costly. With two minutes left, they conceded a penalty in prime kicking range. Despite a difficult night from the tee, substitute fly-half Benjy Mills stepped forward with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Suddenly, the crowd of 5,000 strong fell silent. One strike of the boot, and Exeter edged ahead - a moment that echoed Ben Coen’s late heroics at The Rec earlier in the season.

All that remained was to hold on. Exeter hurled everything into defence as rain lashed down and noise swelled to a crescendo. As defences began to break and everything seemed to crumble, the referee’s whistle blew – but it was not the final whistle they had hoped for. A penalty was awarded under the posts for Bath, the final dagger to both players and supporters alike. In a poetic flourish of pure, unfiltered agony, fly-half James Beverly stepped up and delivered retribution.

As the stands emptied and heads fell, heartbreak lingered in the Devon air. Exeter had given everything, but in a cruel final twist, Bath had found a way to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Despite pouring everything into the contest, the men in green were left to reflect on a night of pride without reward, and a battle fought to the very last breath.