Exeter Chiefs 46 Cornish Pirates 24

However, within the past 12 months the 21-year-old has not only set tongues wagging in and around Sandy Park, but also further afield with his on-field exploits with Steve Borthwick’s England.

Never afraid to give youth its chance, Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter says age is merely a number if those he entrusts with the jersey back it up with their on-field showings.

Feyi-Waboso, like a glut of other youngsters at the club, certainly seized their opportunity when thrust onto the big stage.

Now, it seems, Chiefs have unearthed another hidden gem, another stylish speedster, who Baxter hopes can have a similar impact this coming season.

That gem is Paul Brown-Bampoe, who helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as the Chiefs saw off the Cornish Pirates 49-24 in their second pre-season fixture.

The 22-year-old was in devastating form on Exeter’s right wing and quite rightly had the Exeter locals purring of his untapped talents come the final whistle.

Like Feyi-Waboso, he has arrived in Devon via BUCS Rugby route with Durham University – and like Feyi-Waboso, he was shipped out to the National Leagues on loan last season with Plymouth Albion to help nurture his talents.

Against the Pirates, it took Brown-Bampoe less than five minutes to make his first meaningful impact, scorching his way over after good build-up play from Harvey Skinner and Dan John.

Moments later and the home side were doubling their tally, skipper Jacques Vermeulen gifted a score by team-mate Dan Frost, whose slaloming run tore apart the Pirates rearguard with aplomb.

Having held their own for much of the opening half-hour, the Pirates finally got themselves up and running when former Chiefs winger Arthur Relton cleverly intercepted a pass in midfield from Exeter No.8 Greg Fisilau to race in unopposed under the home posts.

If that proved joyful for the Cornishmen, what followed was hellish as the Chiefs hit them with four tries in the space of nine minutes before the break.

Zack Wimbush claimed the first, latching on a brilliant tap back inside from Olly Woodburn, who then followed his team-mate over the line shortly after when he applied the finish to a slick attack move from the Chiefs.

Brown-Bampoe then added to the Pirates woes, hitting them with two more tries in the space of a few minutes to seal a well-deserved first half treble.

Baxter, just as he did in the earlier friendly against London Scottish, changed his front-row trio for the restart, meaning a first start for new South African prop Kwenso Blose.

Further replacements from both sides followed as the half ticked by, but it was the Chiefs who continued to look the more threatening in attack. Indeed, they added to their advantage when centre Will Rigg took control of possession midway inside his own half.

With little option but to run initially, he got to around halfway before launching a hefty kick into the Pirates back field. It sparked a foot race between him and visiting lock Hugh Bockenham. There was, however, only ever going to be one winner. Rigg racing down field before eventually diving onto the loose ball to claim the converted score.

Pirates, to their credit, continued to battle away despite the scoreline and a mounting walking wounded list. Their efforts, though, were rewarded as first Morgan Nelson stole over from a line-out move; then Harry Yates did likewise to give them a crumb of comfort heading into the final quarter.

At the other end, replacement Lucas Dorrell got in on the scoring act for the Chiefs, only for the Pirates to have the final word with a late score for Iwan Price-Thomas.

Chiefs: D John; P Brown-Bampoe, Z Wimbush (N Lilley 67), W Rigg, O Woodburn; H Skinner (B Coen 67), T Cairns (N Armstrong 36); W Goodrick-Clarke (K Blose 40), D Frost (J Innard 40), E Painter (M Street 40); J Dunne, R Tuima (O Beckerleg 67); F Worley-Brady (L Dorrell 67), J Vermeulen (c), G Fisilau.

Tries – Brown-Bampoe (3), Vermeulen, Wimbush, Woodburn, Rigg, Dorrell; Conversions – Skinner (3)

Yellow Card: Vermeulen

Pirates: W Trewin (I Price-Thomas 54, W Rigglesford 71); R Wedlake, C McCaig (M McNab 58), J Elderkin (H Yates 58), A Relton; B Houston (I Jenkins 58), C Jones (D Hiscox 53); B Young (O Michell 53), M Nelson (S Moody 53), J Tyack (J French 57); B Rice (M Hallam 57, O Andrews 77), H Bokenham (M Cannon 59); A Everett, W Gibson (H Hocking 57), J Stevens (c. J King 34)

Tries – Relton, Nelson, Yates, Price-Thomas; Conversions – Houston, Jenkins

Referee: J James

Attendance: 7,909

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