Bristol Bears beat Exeter Chiefs 20-7 at Ashton Gate on Saturday night in Round Four of the 2026/27 Gallagher PREM

Bristol Bears beat the Exeter Chiefs 20-7 at Ashton Gate Stadium on Saturday night in the M5 derby in Round Four of the 2026/27 Gallagher PREM.

The home side played an impressive game in the horrid rain and wind to earn the win and move into the play-off places in the young table.

It was Bristol who struck first, as in the 26th minute the Bears opened the scoring with a try from Gabriel Ibitoye. Just three minutes later, the Bears were gifted a penalty kick as James Williams managed to get it through the posts to extend their lead into half-time, as the Bears led 10-0.

Chiefs struck first in the second half as Greg Fisilau scored from a driving maul. But the Bears rode out a period of pressure and finished strongly, with Williams adding a second penalty and then Luka Ivanishvili bulldozing his way over the line in the final minute of the contest.

Rugby writer Abigail Haskins takes a closer look at the individual performances of the Bristol Bears players after the game..

15. Tom Jordan - 8

The Scotland star was described as an 'energiser bunny' by his director of rugby post-match as he chased kicks like his life depended on it and as such managed to put the Exeter back-field under immense pressure throughout the contest. A late drop under the high ball put his side under pressure, but the hosts prevailed.

14. Louis Rees-Zammit - 6

Making his return after being rested for last week's trip to South Africa, the Welsh star baring got a sniff of the ball in an attacking position with the conditions playing havoc.

13. Matias Moroni - 6

Made a huge impact on defence. But eyes weren’t really drawn to him as the ball stayed pretty tight throughout the contest,

12. James Williams - 8

He had a very strong game this week as he managed to encourage players to push and find space. His kicking game proved vital as he managed to make conversions and penalties from far out and at all different angles. A standout of the game.

11. Gabriel Ibitoye - 8

The winger was involved in every big moment in the game. He opened the scoring for the home team with an outrageous finish, taking a long pass from Harry Randall, putting a stutter step on Sam Wolstenholme to beat him inside the tramlines, where he had no right, and then finishing in the corner. Ibitoye also shone defensively. He played a key part in stopping the Chiefs from taking the lead in the second half, winning a vital penalty for holding on deep in his 22 with Exeter looking likely to score. Moments later, he was then first to arrive on the scene when Woodburn dropped a high ball, hacking it on twice before regathering and almost scoring himself. Moments later, Ivanishvili crashed over. Hugely impactful night.

10. AJ MacGinty - 7

The fly-half had one dashing break through the middle on a night when linebreaks were rare, but it was the nitty-gritty stuff and smart game play which earned him the plaudits, putting his head into a ruck to win a penalty for his side and kicking well to pin Chiefs back into their own territory.

9. Harry Randell - 9

The scrum half was the standout performer in the match with an absolutely masterful display of kicking in open play, putting his box kicks on the money for the chasers to compete, and threading grubbers and chips in behind the visitors to constantly turn them and cause panic. Then, when it mattered, despite the constantly pouring rain, his skill set held up under pressure as he sprayed a long 20m mis-pass off his right hand into Ibitoye's mitts to allow the winger to score in the corner. It was a brave option and the right one.

1. Ellis Genge - 7

A return to the squad after a wrist injury, and he showed what a great performer he is. Was very strong in the scrum and managed to make some huge, impactful plays with the ball. His defence was outstanding as he helped take the Bears' physicality up a gear.

2. Tomas Gwilliam - 7

The young hooker is holding up under the inspection of regular first-team rugby. He held his own in the scrum, performed admirably in the lineout given the conditions, and was strong in defence, catching the eye with a sharp turnover.

3. Lovejoy Chawatama - 6

The Zimbabwean made mistakes that gave the Chiefs an advantage, and despite being under pressure in the scrum, he largely held his own.

4. Pedro Rubiolo - 8

The Argentina star was very close to being the player of the match as he relished getting physical in the challenging conditions. He was impressive all throughout the game and created some huge moments for the Bears, none more so than when he drove Ivanishvili over the line for the final try of the game.

5. Joe Batley - 7

The lock played a key role in going head-to-head physically with the visitors, helping combat their driving maul and posing problems at the lineout.

6. Steven Luatua - 6

A tough game for him today as he was taken off just 30 minutes into the game due to a cut on his cheek and was not seen again. The veteran was highly impressive, throwing his body at the ball and providing a tough wall to defend against.

7. Fitz Harding - 7

A good game from the captain in what was a horrible game with the rain and wind. He drove the team forward on a night when it was all about the hard yards.

8. Benjamin Grondona - 7

The Argentine had a good game. He was strong in the scrum and made some huge tackles to stop the opposition from scoring. Overshadowed by Fitz Harding as the Bears' primary ball-carrying threat.

Replacements:

16. Sol Moody - 7

17. Jake Woolmore - 7

18. Jimmy Halliwell - 7

19. Josh Caulfield - 7

20. Joe Owen - 7

21. Kieran Marmion - 6

22. Jack Bates - 7

23. Luka Ivanishvili - 7