Sports · Other Sports · 3 hrs ago
Bristol beat Exeter 20-7 in storm-hit West Country derby
Bristol Bears beat Exeter Chiefs 20-7 in a Gallagher Premiership match at Ashton Gate in Bristol.
The West Country derby was played in stormy conditions, which made it difficult for both teams to hold on to the ball.
Bristol took the lead through Gabriel Ibitoye’s try, then added a penalty to go into the break ahead.
Exeter’s Greg Fisilau scored from a maul after half-time, bringing the Chiefs back into the contest.
Bristol’s Ibitoye helped win back possession near their line, and the Bears later stretched their lead with a penalty.
Replacement Luka Ivanishvili scored a late try to seal Bristol’s hard-fought victory.
Exeter lock Tom Hooper was forced off with a shoulder injury shortly before half-time.
Bristol beat Exeter 20-7 in a storm-hit West Country derby at Ashton Gate.
Bristol scored first after 26 minutes when Gabriel Ibitoye finished a Harry Randall pass.
Exeter replied through Greg Fisilau’s try from a maul, but Bristol pulled clear with a penalty and a late try by Luka Ivanishvili.
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said his team adapted to the conditions, while Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said his side made too many errors.
- Who
- Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs.
- What
- Bristol won 20-7 in a Gallagher PREM derby.
- When
- Saturday, 24 October 2026.
- Where
- Ashton Gate in Bristol.
- Why
- Bristol scored three tries and a penalty. Baxter said Exeter made more errors in the conditions.
Bristol Bears
Exeter Chiefs
Approach to the conditions
Bristol Bears
Pat Lam said Bristol focused on the kind of rugby needed in the weather.
Exeter Chiefs
Rob Baxter said Exeter made more errors and Bristol may have been tactically smarter.
Late match opportunity
Bristol Bears
Lam said Bristol did what they needed to win.
Exeter Chiefs
Baxter said Exeter had a chance to get something, but their maul was not good enough and they lost the ball.
Exeter and Bristol announced their teams for the derby at Ashton Gate.
The teams struggled to hold the ball in the stormy conditions, and neither side scored.
Gabriel Ibitoye scored Bristol’s opening try, and Williams added a penalty.
Greg Fisilau scored for Exeter from a maul.
Williams kicked a penalty and Luka Ivanishvili scored Bristol’s final try.
- Final score
- Bristol 20-7 Exeter
- Venue
- Ashton Gate, Bristol
- Bristol first try
- Gabriel Ibitoye, after a Harry Randall pass
- Exeter try
- Greg Fisilau, from a maul
- Bristol final try
- Luka Ivanishvili
3 sources
What people are saying
I'm really proud of the boys. We did what we needed to do to win, I felt.
Some might say it's not pretty, but it's the type of rugby that needed to be played in these conditions.
We did just make more errors than them over the course of today and tactically they were potentially a little smarter.