Bitter cold swept across Leeds as Exeter travelled north to face Leeds Beckett in a bruising BUCS Super Rugby clash. The chill in the air set the tone for the afternoon - this would never be a game of wide, flowing rugby, but a contest fought in the trenches. After suffering their first defeat of the season against Cardiff, the men in green arrived in Yorkshire determined to rediscover their rhythm and reaffirm their place at the summit of the table.

Leeds Beckett, renowned for their physical edge, were ready to meet Exeter head-on. Under freezing skies and with breath visible in the air, both sides turned to their power games, choosing grit over glamour and collision over creativity.

Exeter began with composure, managing the icy conditions and keeping play tight in the early exchanges. The breakthrough came 20 minutes in, as the forwards set the tone for the remainder of the contest - the driving maul grinding its way toward the line before hooker Tyler Bayley forced his way through the Leeds defence to give Exeter a deserved five-point lead.

Leeds responded ten minutes later, using their own muscle to batter through the Exeter line and score in the corner to make it 5–5. Yet that would be their only breakthrough of the match, as Exeter soon reasserted their dominance.

The men in green hit back hard, relying once more on their forwards to wear down Beckett’s pack. After several phases of brutal carries near the try line, prop Tom Gulley powered over to restore Exeter’s advantage, with Freddie Hirst converting cleanly. The fly-half added a well-struck penalty soon after, extending the lead to ten.

As the players headed down the tunnel, their breath hanging in the frosty air, Exeter had taken firm control - grinding their way to a 15–5 lead built on power, patience, and precision.

HALF TIME: LEEDS BECKETT 05 – 15 EXETER

Exeter emerged from the break with control and confidence, determined to close out the contest in the same fashion they had built their lead - through discipline and precision in cold, punishing conditions. Fly-half Freddie Hirst began to dictate proceedings, steering the attack with calm authority as Exeter camped deep inside Leeds territory.

After several surges from the forwards brought play within five metres of the try line, Hirst called for the ball and looked to produce something different. Spotting space out wide, he launched a cross-field kick - but the effort skewed slightly, striking the Leeds uprights. In a moment of pure fortune and instinct, the ball miraculously bounced off the posts into the waiting hands of full-back Jed Findlay, who gathered cleanly and dived over to extend Exeter’s lead.

From there, the men in green controlled every facet of play. Their defence stood resolute, their set-piece dominant, and their pack relentless as the clock wound down. With the final play of the match, Exeter added a fitting exclamation mark - lock Seth Findlay muscling over from close range to seal a bruising victory in Yorkshire.

As the final whistle sounded, Exeter’s travelling contingent could celebrate a clinical, hard-earned 29–5 win - a composed response to adversity in the face of sheer brutality, and another reminder of their championship credentials.

FULL TIME: LEEDS BECKETT 05 – 29 EXETER