Premiership: Exeter Chiefs 35-22 Gloucester

Jonny Hill's try against Gloucester was his eighth score in the Premiership this season

Premiership leaders Exeter sealed a play-off spot after overcoming a much-changed Gloucester side at Sandy Park.

Tries from Jonny Hill and Sam Simmonds put Exeter 21-8 up at the interval after a Matt Banahan score and Billy Twelvetrees kick edged Gloucester ahead following Luke Cowan-Dickie's opener.

Ian Whitten crossed for Chiefs' bonus-point try immediately after the break.

Jack Maunder added a fifth score, only for Gloucester to respond with tries from Banahan and Josh Gray.

Exeter's seventh successive victory puts them on the cusp of sealing a home semi-final, while defeat leaves the Cherry and Whites seventh in the table.

Gloucester, who were forced to make two late changes with winger Charlie Sharples and prop Jamal Ford-Robinson failing late fitness tests and replaced by Alex Morgan and Logovi'i Mulipola respectively, made Chiefs work hard for the win with a dogged defensive display.

Those late tweaks for Gloucester were only more changes to an entirely different starting XV from their victory against London Irish.

Exeter boss Rob Baxter again rotated his squad, and while Tom Hendrickson was the only one to keep his place following Friday's victory at Northampton, the Chiefs had a list of luminaries, including Jack Nowell, Henry Slade and Jonny Gray, back.

A quick tap-and-go penalty from Cowan-Dickie gave Exeter the ideal start with a try after just three minutes, but Banahan responded soon after by charging over in the corner before a penalty from Twelvetrees deservedly edged the Cherry and Whites in front.

Simmonds crashed over the line from a driving maul to restore the hosts' lead, which Hill added to with the last passage of play of the first half when Gloucester were a man down following Charlie Beckett 's yellow card.

A break and scintillating 70-metre run from Stuart Hogg - who eventually limped out of the game with a leg injury - set Exeter up for their fourth try, which Whitten finished in the corner.

Maunder's try and a fifth conversion from Joe Simmonds put the hosts 27 points up with more than 25 minutes to play, but Gloucester continued to battle and were unfortunate not to finish with a losing bonus point for their efforts after Banahan's second score and Gray's late try.

Exeter 'cautious' with Hogg injury

Exeter Chiefs forwards coach Rob Hunter:

"We weren't brilliant for the 80 minutes, and it proved we are human.

"It's a good reminder. Everyone is talking about this procession, but it is not that simple and there will be a lot of teams who will be happy to knock us over.

On Hogg's injury: "We will wait for 24 hours - we are being fairly cautious.

"We won't take any risks, and we will see where he is at."

Gloucester head coach George Skivington:

"It's a good chance that will be the team (Exeter) playing in the grand final and potentially winning the league.

"We threw ourselves in at the deep end and asked who wants to be a top Premiership player. They showed real fight."

Exeter Chiefs: Hogg; Nowell, Slade, Hendrickson, Whitten; J Simmonds (capt), Maunder; Moon, Cowan-Dickie, Williams, Gray, Hill, Ewers, Vermeulen, S Simmonds.

Replacements: Yeandle, Hepburn, Francis, Skinner, Kirsten, Hidalgo-Clyne, Steenson, Devoto.

Gloucester: Hudson; Morgan, Trinder, Seabrook, Banahan; Twelvetrees (capt), Chapman; Fourie, Walker, Mulipola, Beckett, Drake, Gray, Reid, Ackermann.

Replacements: Gleave, Seville, Knight, Jordan, Crane, Simpson, Barton, Morris.

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