On Saturday, the Exeter Chiefs clinched a second Gallagher Premiership title with an enthralling 19-13 victory over Wasps at Twickenham, a week after they were crowned European champions by beating French giants Racing 92.

Ivybridge Quartet Help Exeter Chiefs win the ‘Double’

                 The Exeter Chiefs are the winners of both the ‘Gallagher Premiership’                                  and ‘The Champions Cup’ with four former Ivybridge Community College                                                        students playing pivotal roles in both games.

Ivybridge Quartet Help Exeter Chiefs to European Success

The Exeter Chiefs are now top of the northern hemisphere club game by winning the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time in dramatic fashion at Ashton Gate with former Ivybridge Community College student Joe Simmonds leading the charge as Captain.  They played against Racing 92, who are undoubtedly one of the best club teams in the game.

16 of the 31 points were scored by brothers, and former students, Sam and Joe Simmonds.  11 of Joe’s points came from his pin point accuracy from the tee, making him the top point scorer in this year’s Champions Cup with a staggering 95 points.

Two other former students, Dave Ewers and Ben Moon, played pivotal roles in bringing the trophy to Sandy Park for the first time in the clubs history, and only 10 years after getting promotion to the Premiership.  

Sam Simmonds scored a well worked Chiefs try and aided by the sizeable bulk of Dave Ewers, was driven over for the score, converted by his younger sibling, Joe.

The Chiefs looked to be running away with the game but Racing 92 had other ideas coming back within 1 point with minutes to spare.  Exeter eventually were awarded a penalty just inside the Racing half, this was successfully converted by our very own Joe Simmonds.  The Exeter Chiefs eventually won the match 31-27.

To cap off an enthralling match, Sam Simmonds and Dave Ewers (who is the son of two of our staff members at the College), were voted into the Champions Cup ‘Dream Team of 2019/2020’ season.  What an achievement by these players who have beaten some of the world’s finest players to their spot in the Team of the Year.

The Exeter Chiefs Stun Wasps with Joe Simmonds Scoring 14 of the 19 Points

Former Ivybridge Community College students Joe and Sam Simmonds, Dave Ewers and Ben Moon all took the pitch at Twickenham on what would turn out to be the biggest night in the Club’s history.  The Exeter Chiefs eventually turned over an experienced Wasps team  19-13.  Joe Simmonds took the game by the scruff of the neck and put in a dominant display kicking 14 of the 19 points scored by Exeter Chiefs on a damp and cold night on the Twickenham surface.

The Exeter Chiefs made history by becoming one of only four teams to complete the ‘Double’ in a season.

Joe has become the youngest ever player, at the age of 23, to win not only the Gallagher Premiership, but the Heineken Champions Cup too; what an amazing achievement!

One final bit of recognition goes to Sam Simmonds who not only won the European Player of the Year and was selected for the ‘Dream Team’ but he has now been selected for the Gallagher Premiership Team of the Year for the second year running.

Everyone at Ivybridge Community College would like to congratulate the Exeter Chiefs, and in particular their former students, for all they have achieved over the season.