whites

The Prem

Exeter (12) 24

Tries: Iosefa-Scott, E Roots, Varney, Gulley Cons: Slade 2

Gloucester (26) 45

Tries: Loader 2, S Atkinson, Lake 2, Joseph, Denny Cons: C Atkinson 4, Barton

Gloucester delivered an outstanding performance on the first weekend of the new Prem season to stun Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

The Cherry and Whites only once won on the road last term as they finished eighth, but they matched that immediately with this superb showing.

Summer arrival, and new captain and Wales skipper, Dewi Lake led the way with two of their seven tries.

Winger Ben Loader helped himself to two, while Seb Atkinson, a fine solo effort from Will Joseph and a debut try from Junior Denny completed their try haul.

Exeter finished as runners-up last season after losing to Northampton Saints in the final in June, but they were well beaten.

Josh Iosefa-Scott and Ethan Roots grabbed their first-half scores before Stephen Varney and then Louie Gulley ensured they at least managed a bonus point.

After a few years in the doldrums, Exeter had a thrilling spring and summer with their unexpected run to The Prem final at Twickenham. With new American investment at Sandy Park, hopes are high about the direction of travel in Devon but this was a rude awakening to the new season for Rob Baxter’s team.

The Cherry and Whites had a miserable campaign in limping home in eighth and they have not reached the play-offs for seven years, but the acquisition of Wales pair Lake and Jac Morgan has increased belief for the new campaign.

That was in evidence in their positive start as they worked the ball from one corner to the other, with Ben Redshaw’s kick bouncing up perfectly for Loader to finish.

A sustained spell of phases eventually resulted in Iosefa-Scott driving over from close range for the hosts before a smart kick over the top from scrum-half Caolan Englefield allowed England centre Atkinson to win a foot race and touch down as Gloucester regained the lead.

Loader’s second try extended that advantage as he showed impressive footwork to conjure up another fine kick towards the left corner and dive over.

Gloucester had produced an impressive opening half, but Roots grabbed a second try for the hosts as the flanker found himself on the wing with nobody able to stop his charge.

However, there was still time for the men from Kingsholm to secure a bonus point by the break as captain Lake brilliantly went over in the corner after he had turned down a kick at goal to earn a 26-12 interval lead

Lake’s influence in his new team was there for all to see as he was at the back of a driving maul to grab his second try for a dominant Gloucester.

Joseph then scored the try of the game with a brilliant burst of speed from inside his own half that took him outside and inside three defenders.

Varney quickly grabbed Exeter’s third try and with visiting flanker Freddie Thomas sin-binned for the final 10 minutes, replacement hooker Gulley went over on his Prem debut to ensure the Chiefs at least claimed a bonus point.

However, that debut try was matched by 18-year-old winger Denny, who scored with the last play of the game to seal Gloucester’s first win in Devon since 2015.

Exeter: Hammersley; Feyi-Waboso, Salde, Butt, Woodburn; Skinner, Varney; Burger, Yeandle, Iosefa-Scott, Jenkins (capt), Wilson, E Roots, James, Fisilau.

Replacements: Gulley, Goodrick-Clarke, J Roots, Beckerleg, Bailey, Murray, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush.

Gloucester: Redshaw; Jospeh, Cokanasiga, S Atkinson, Loader; C Atkinson, Englefield; Rapava-Ruskin, Lake (capt), Fasagbon, Kleyn, Clark, F Thomas, Morgan, Trenholm.

Replacements: Innard, Bleuler, Knight, Clement, Ludlow, Robson, Denny, Barton.

Yellow card: F Thomas (71)

Referee: Matthew Carley

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The Trump administration has announced that it will impose travel bans on officials it claims are responsible for discrimination against whites and other minority groups in South Africa.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday he would revoke U.S. visas or reject visa applications from foreign nationals found to be responsible for, or complicit in, enacting or enforcing laws and policies that allow for uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination and the incitement of violence against minority ethnic and racial groups in South Africa.

“The United States will not allow such behavior to go unchecked,” Rubio said in a statement. “These actions directly undermine peace, economic stability, and the rule of law, and they are incompatible with the pillars of America’s foreign policy.”

The South African government has strongly rejected U.S. allegations of discrimination against whites, calling the claims made by the administration since President Trump returned to office last year baseless and a result of misinformation.

It’s the latest U.S. move to sanction South Africa

Rubio did not identify any officials who would be targeted with the travel restrictions, though a lobby group for minority whites in South Africa has previously called for the U.S. to sanction officials of the African National Congress party, the party of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and the largest in South Africa’s Parliament.

It’s the latest move by the Trump administration to sanction South Africa over its claims that whites, and especially the Afrikaner group, are being discriminated against by their Black-led government. Afrikaners are descended from mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers who first came to South Africa in the 17th century. They were at the heart of South Africa’s previous apartheid system of racial segregation.

There are approximately 4.5 million white people in South Africa’s population of 62 million, which also includes whites with British or other heritage.

The Trump administration casts South Africa as anti-white

The U.S. has cited a contentious South African law that allows for the expropriation of unused private land without compensation in some circumstances, affirmative action policies that advance opportunities for Blacks and others, and a small number of violent crimes against white farmers as evidence of a larger anti-white stance in South Africa.

The Trump administration has also strongly criticized South Africa’s move to accuse U.S. ally Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, in a highly emotive case at the United Nations’ top court. Israel vehemently denies that allegation.

South Africa asks the U.S. to respect its sovereignty

South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Wednesday that some of the domestic policies that the U.S. had branded as discriminatory were designed to address the injustices of apartheid and hundreds of years of colonial rule before that, when Black people were stripped of their rights.

“South Africa respects that the United States may hold differing views on certain policy measures and their implementation. … The people of South Africa likewise respect the right of the American people to develop legislation that addresses their own circumstances,” Lamola said in a statement. “We expect that the same respect will be accorded to the people of South Africa, as the principle of sovereignty requires.”

The U.S. says more sanctions will follow

The U.S. has enforced a series of other sanctions against South Africa during Trump’s second term for purported anti-white and anti-American policies. They include barring South African officials from meetings of the Group of 20 economic bloc this year in the U.S., and phasing out aid for South Africa’s HIV treatment program.

The U.S. has also launched a refugee program for Afrikaners and other whites, claiming baselessly that they are victims of a humanitarian emergency in South Africa.

The U.S. says the sanctions are because South Africa has not changed its policies, and warned of more to follow.

“This visa restriction policy is only the first step in a series of escalatory measures that will show America’s firm resolve in this matter,” the official U.S. Ambassador to South Africa account posted on X, referring to Rubio’s visa announcement.

Imray writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.