sport news Bristol 40-33 Exeter: Chiefs set to miss out on play-offs as Charles Piutau ... trends now
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As Bristol’s players celebrated victory and said goodbye to their soon-to-be departing colleagues in front of a raucous home crowd, Rob Baxter cut an understandably more dejected figure.
The Exeter director of rugby has had a season to forget and he rightly admitted his team’s play-off hopes are now dead and buried after this 40-point defeat.
Baxter’s Chiefs can still mathematically make the top four after taking two losing bonus points home from Ashton Gate, but in reality such hopes are forlorn. Baxter acknowledged as much.
Utility back Alapati Leiua (left) celebrates scoring Bristol's fourth try with Jack Bates
His team shipped six tries here and it will now be between Gloucester and Northampton for fourth place with Saints favourites. Exeter have been Gallagher Premiership finalists for each of the last six seasons. It has been some record,
