The top two sides in BUCS Super Rugby extended their gap at the summit of the table, with Loughborough and Exeter both earning their tenth league wins of the season.
Loughborough started round 14 in first place, with a two-point lead over Exeter in second and Bath in third.
The East Midlands side retained their top spot after round 15, but their failure to earn a bonus point victory at home to Bath means Exeter closed the top to just one point.
Loughborough get the better of Bath in a tight affair
There are three teams in BUCS Super Rugby who are standing out, especially compared to the rest.
Loughborough, Exeter and Bath are all in imperious form, with a three-way tussle for the title being set up nicely as the teams approach the business end of the season.
Bath travelled to Loughborough with more wins (ten) than both Exeter and the home side (nine), but a lack of bonus points meant they were below the two teams in the table.
However, this fixture presented an opportunity for the side from the South West to show they should be labelled as favourites in the title race.
The two sides had already put on a contender for match of the season, where Bath got the better of Loughborough in an instant classic decided by just one point in a 36-35 win in early November.
However, it was Loughborough this time who came away with four points as they earned a 20-11 win thanks to two tries, including one from Tobias Munday.
Bath now sit six points off the top spot, but will be happy they were able to prevent the top team from earning a winning bonus point.
Exeter now just one point behind in BUCS Super Rugby title race
Loughborough’s failure to earn a winning bonus point is certainly Exeter’s gain as the other team in the title race were able to confidently get the better of Nottingham.
They ended round 15 in the same place they started, in second, but will feel happy with the events that transpired during the matchweek.
Nottingham have struggled this season and found themselves sat in ninth-place, but will have felt inspired that they can cause an upset given they trumiphed over first-placed Loughborough less than three weeks ago.
However, the feat was not to be repeated, with Exeter easily earning the maximum of five points, including the bonus for scoring more than four tries.
Nottingham did not return empty-handed, with the side also scoring the four tries required to add a point to their total despite the defeat.
Exeter are now just one point behind their title rivals, and five points ahead of Bath in third. All eyes will be on the next three games as BUCS Super Rugby reaches its’ conclusion for the 2022/23 season.
Durham head up the rest
Durham extended their unbeaten run to four games as they earned a bonus-point win away to eighth-placed Swansea. The team from the north are now just five points off third with a game in hand.
They are trialled by just one point by Hartpury, who earned an eighth win of the season when they travelled to Cardiff Met. The home side drop from sixth to seventh.
They are replaced by their rivals from the Welsh capital in Cardiff, who got the better of tenth-placed Leeds Beckett. The Yorkshire team are now 12 points off away from avoiding the dreaded BUCS Super Rugby play-off.
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