Ethan Burger, King of The Rec, as Chiefs Scalp Bath

The South African story in the English Premiership semi-final at the REC was supposed to belong to Bath’s Johann van Graan and Thomas du Toit. Instead, it was owned by Exeter Chiefs’ South African super subs Ethan Burger, Joseph Dweba and Ross Vintcent.

The former SACS pupil and Tuks Varsity Cup winner scored the decisive 68th-minute try as Exeter Chiefs produced one of the greatest comebacks in Premiership history to scalp defending champions Bath 27-26 at The Recreation Ground and book their place in next week’s English Premiership final against Northampton Saints at Twickenham.

Trailing 26-10 at half-time and seemingly heading for elimination, Exeter found inspiration from a trio of South African-born and South African-raised replacements. Burger delivered the match-winning moment, Bishops Old Boy and Italy No 8 Ross Vintcent injected energy and physicality into the contest, while former Stormers and Boks hooker Joseph Dweba helped lay the platform for a second-half revival that stunned a packed Rec.

Bath had looked destined for another Premiership final after first-half tries from Beno Obano, Du Toit, Joe Cokanasiga and Henry Arundell established a commanding advantage. With Van Graan’s side unbeaten at home in the Premiership this season and carrying the tag of overwhelming favourites, few could have imagined what was to follow.

But Exeter refused to disappear.

The Chiefs dominated the second half, scoring 17 unanswered points as Bath’s title defence unravelled in front of their own supporters. Ben Hammersley and Greg Fisilau crossed as the deficit narrowed before Burger delivered the knockout blow, crashing over with 12 minutes remaining to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Van Graan’s Bath topped the Prem league and were beaten by Bordeaux in the semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup.

For South African rugby followers, the pre-match narrative centred on Van Graan’s pursuit of another final, a second successive Prem title, and the influence of Springbok powerhouse Du Toit. Yet when the contest reached its defining moments, it was three South Africans wearing Exeter colours who changed the course of the match.

Burger was the headline act, as the prop from Newlands, Cape Town became King of The Rec.

Exeter became the first team in five years to win an away Premiership semi-final, overturning a 16-point deficit against the competition’s defending champions.

For the Saints, 45-31 winners against Leicester’s Tigers, South African lock JJ van der Mescht celebrated his earlier Springboks alignment camp inclusion with a last quarter-cameo and the prospect of a first Prem final.

VAN DER MESCHT played three seasons for the Sharks in South Africa before moving to Paris where he played 87 matches in four seasons for Stade Francais.

He has made his biggest on-field statement in the 2025/26 northern hemisphere club season by starting 20 of his 26 matches for the Saints.