Finn Russell helps Bath 'win ugly' but 4 key Scotland stars missing from Top 14 action

In a tight match at the Rec, Russell was thrust back into club commitments just six days after helping Scotland defeat Australia at Murrayfield to end their Autumn Nations Series campaign on a high.

Bath moved back on top of the Premiership above west country rivals Bristol without remotely hitting top gear. Flanker Guy Pepper, number eight Miles Reid and replacement hooker Niall Annett scored tries for Bath, with fly-half Finn Russell adding two conversions, although a vastly improved performance will be required in their next game against Investec Champions Cup opponents La Rochelle.

“If I look at the big picture I am really chuffed with the win,” Bath head of rugby Van Graan said. “We didn’t take one or two opportunities, but you have got to win ugly in this competition.

“Results in the last 24 hours have shown any team can beat any team, so we are very glad about the four points and we move on. We were certainly tough to beat.

“You have to give Exeter a lot of credit. They adapted their game, it was a really good aerial battle and a pretty physical game. Both teams put in some big shots, and it mattered to both sides. I am glad we got it done.”

Bath captain Ben Spencer told TNT Sports: “It was ugly. We had to go to some pretty dark places today. It was a real greasy one and probably one where you were better off without the ball. There was not too much to play off the back of, but it was pretty slippy out there.”

Scotland flanker Josh Bayliss, who like Russell was one of the tryscorers against the Wallabies, came on as a second-half replacement along with his fellow Scot, centre Cam Redpath.

Scottish centre Rory Hutchinson kicked seven points for Northampton Saints as they went down to a surprise 25-17 defeat at home to Gloucester. “It’s hugely disappointing,” said director of rugby Phil Dowson. “We were poor in the first half and credit to Gloucester because they were excellent, they got right on top of us and we gave ourselves too much to do in that second half.”

The usual Scottish contingent were not in action in France’s Top 14 as Blair Kinghorn, Stuart Hogg, Jonny Gray and Ben White were all left out by their respective clubs.

Toulouse rested Kinghorn as they overcame Racing 92 21-17 in Paris, while Gray’s Bordeaux-Belges won 9-6 against Montpellier, who are without Hogg following surgery on his hand. Toulon won 22-13 at Perpignan without White in their ranks.