It was ten of the best for Exeter University, as they dispatched Northumbria 60-14 on the Rubber Crumb.

There were nine different try scorers in all for Exeter, with Archie Hosking, Dan John, Dafydd Jenkins, Luke Bury, Josh Barton, Scott Butterworth, Jordan Bond and Alec Lloyd-Seed all scoring, with Arthur Relton bagging a double that saw him draw level as EURFC’s all-time leading try scorer in BUCS Super Rugby.

Northumbria responded with two Luckas Blue tries, but it was in vain, as Exeter eventually cruised to victory.

Playing on the Rubber Crumb for the first time this season, Exeter made a fast start, Josh Barton putting his side five metres out from the line, only for an overthrow at the lineout to temporarily halt his side in their ques to score.

They wouldn’t have to wait too much longer though to open their account, as Northumbria’s lack of discipline allowed the Exeter pack to drive to within sight of the line, before a simple pass to Relton saw him finish in the corner.

It was to be the visitors who would score next though, as wing Luckas Blue pounced for an opportunist score, gathering a misplaced Exeter pass to race in for the score from his own half, Jos McConkey adding the conversion to see his side take the lead.

Exeter though were to keep the pressure on, as they worked their way through Relton back up into the visitors 22. Northumbria were to lose captain Jasper McGuire to the bin, with Archie Hosking taking full advantage to bulldoze over from a tapped penalty to restore EURFC’s advantage.

Just two minutes later, Exeter were in for their third, as Dan John raced over in the corner. From a set play at the lineout, Hosking fed Archie Hill who crashed through the first tackle. Dafydd Jenkins then went close, before Josh Barton fizzed the ball wide to John.

Handling errors and forward passes stopped Exeter’s charge, as Northumbria looked to build territory and possession in the EURFC 22.
Fortunately for Exeter though, Jenkins leapt to steal two consecutive lineouts, allowing scrum half Niall Armstrong to clear.

Jenkins would then get himself on the scoreboard after half an hour, as Jordan Bond fed him in space to race over for the fourth Exeter score of the afternoon, securing the bonus-point.

There was to be one last chance for Exeter with half-time approaching, but Keith Fleming’s side would cough up an opportunity that looked easy to finish. After Jordan Bond had intercepted and raced through, he fed Armstrong, who linked up with Hosking and Barton, before Tom Eelman was unable to gather the bobbling ball, with the try line at his mercy.

HALF-TIME: EXETER UNIVERSITY 20-7 NORTHUMBIRA UNIVERSITY

As the second half got underway, Exeter were straight back on the attack, as Northumbria struggled to live with the increased intensity.
Last week, Exeter’s mauling game was back on song, and it worked to perfection again on the crumb, as Luke Bury drove over for his fourth try in two matches.

With Exeter so far unsuccessful off the tee, Northumbria knew that a score would drag them back into the clash, as George Pringle broke through in midfield and crashed into the Exeter 22. Whilst the EURFC defence would hold firm, the visitors drew a penalty and kicked to touch, looking to play Exeter at their own game, only for Jared Williams to come up with a crucial steal for his side at the maul.

Whilst things may not have been going as planned off the tee for Barton, he had still been marshalling things with aplomb in open play.

It wasn’t long after that nearly moment for Northumbria, that the fly half conjured a little bit of magic, to waltz through the Northumbria defence, with three separate dummies to leave the Northumbria defence chasing shadows, as he raced over from halfway, converting his own try from under the posts.

Exeter were enjoying themselves now and with added impetus off the bench, it wasn’t long before they were in again, as Relton went over for his second of the afternoon.

After an industrious carry from Bury, replacement scrum half Will Yarnell spotted a gap on the blindside, feeding Relton who simply had to put the ball down for the score, Alec Lloyd-Seed adding the conversion from out wide.

Whilst it may have been one of the easier tries Relton has scored for EURFC, it was also a significant one, as it saw the wing draw level as Exeter’s all-time leading BUCS Super Rugby try scorer, alongside the likes of Tom Lawday and the short-range specialist himself, Matt Johnson.

With Northumbria tiring, Yarnell was enjoying himself now he was in the thick of the action, as was his half-back partner Lloyd-Seed. Exeter’s next try followed with fifteen minutes left on the clock, with the opportunity coming from Yarnell’s work in harrying Northumbria at the back of a scrum, forcing a knock-on.

After Exeter had drawn a penalty, the pack rumbled over for their second maul try of the afternoon, as Scott Butterworth dotted down for his first BUCS Super Rugby try.

The visitors to their credit kept up their hunt for a second score of the afternoon and again, found themselves with a lineout near the Exeter try line.

That chance would come to nothing though, as the overthrown lineout was collected by Butterworth, who promptly channelled his inner Jonny Hill, to launch a spiral kick up the field.

From there, Exeter were soon in for their ninth of the afternoon, as Jordan Bond’s efforts across the afternoon were rewarded with a try, after slick work from Lloyd-Seed and Dan John sent him away down the wing.

With the game in its final embers, Lloyd-Seed would secure Exeter’s tenth and final try of the match, as he latched onto a loose pass to intercept and race over, completing a fine individual performance off the bench that saw him voted as Player of the Match.

It would be Northumbria though who had the final say, with a neat bit of play that saw Luckas Blue race over for his second of the afternoon.

A chip over the top from Josh Drain was tapped on superbly by Mike Hoyt, to allow Blue to race clear for a consolation score under the posts.

For Exeter though, this was a result that saw them climb above Loughborough into second place, ahead of what will be a titanic tussle next Wednesday with league leaders Durham.

Whilst not the perfect performance, Exeter will surely be buoyed by some of their attacking play, as they look ahead to arguably the most important fixture so far this season next Wednesday.