Premiership: Exeter Chiefs 23-6 Gloucester

Wales' Alex Cuthbert intercepted and ran nearly the entire length of the field for his try

Premiership leaders Exeter Chiefs made it eight wins from eight league games as they overcame in-form visitors Gloucester at Sandy Park.

After a strong first-half effort from Gloucester, Nic White's converted try put Exeter 10-6 up before half-time.

Alex Cuthbert's interception try added to the lead after the break and the Cherry and Whites could not hit back.

The result put Exeter four points clear at the top of the table, with second-placed Saracens in action on Sunday.

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Danny Cipriani had put the visitors 6-0 ahead early on with two kicks from the tee, but he then missed a chance to add a third penalty.

After Gareth Steenson's boot pulled three points back for Chiefs, his precise kick to Santiago Cordero led to the simple finish for White near the posts and Steenson added the extras.

Shortly after the break, Gloucester's Ollie Thorley - who impressed with two dazzling tries as they beat Leicester Tigers last time out - made another impressive run, but the move broke down as Wales' Cuthbert intercepted a loose pass by Cipriani.

He then ran clear to make it 17-6 and Steenson converted to give the 2017 champions an advantage they rarely looked like squandering.

Steenson added two further penalties to make the points safe for the hosts and dash any Gloucester hopes of snatching a late losing bonus point.

Exeter coach Ali Hepher: "We didn't snap into our wet weather game quickly enough and played too much around halfway, which invited pressure.

"Our starts haven't been great but the boys haven't got flustered and soon put the pressure on the opposition.

"You can't complain when we are top of the league and unbeaten.

"The game was a bit of an arm-wrestle but our scrum set the foundation and the two tries from long range were the key moments."

Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann: "The first 20-30 minutes were decent from us but we gave the momentum away and didn't play the conditions well enough.

"Two or three soft moments crept in and they exploited them to punish us.

"It was a great kick to set up their first and then came Danny's interception, so it was a 14 point catch-up.

"At the right moments, they did the right things and our decision making was not good enough as we made a fight of it but Exeter are a tough team."

Exeter: Dollman; Cordero, Whitten, Devoto, Cuthbert; Steenson, White; Low, Yeandle, Holmes, Lees, Dennis, Ewers, Armand, Kvesic

Replacements: Taione, Keast, Street, Van der Sluys, Lawday, Maunder, Simmonds, Hill

Gloucester: Woodward; Sharples, Trinder, Twelvetrees, Thorley; Cipriani, Heinz; Rapava Ruskin, Walker, Balmain, Savage, Slater, Clarke, Evans, Morgan

Replacements: Visagie, Traynor, Hohneck, Grobler, Hinkley, Braley, Williams, Hudson