Exeter sink Bristol to seal Premiership pole position

Exeter powered to the top of the English Premiership with a 24-14 victory over west country rivals Bristol at Ashton Gate on Friday.

The Chiefs ran in four tries and claimed a bonus-point through flanker Jacques Vermeulen's late touchdown.

Prop Josh Iosefa-Scott, wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and scrumhalf Stu Townsend also claimed tries for Exeter, while centre Henry Slade kicked two conversions.

Bristol responded with tries from hooker Gabriel Oghre and wing Noah Heward, with Callum Sheedy kicking two conversions, but it proved another frustrating 80 minutes for Pat Lam's team.

Exeter are likely to lose top spot following the weekend's games, but their status as genuine title contenders cannot be questioned.