2020 Heineken Champions Cup winners Exeter Chiefs produced a stunning seven-try thrashing of EPCR Challenge Cup side Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate in the Gallagher Premiership on Friday.

Jack Nowell and Olly Woodburn, with two tries apiece, led the way for the visitors, who travel to Castres Olympique in the opening round of Heineken Champions Cup action on December 10.

Leading 17-7 at the break thanks to Nowell’s and Woodburn’s openers, Exeter turned the screw in the second half, adding a further five tries through Nowell, Woodburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ruben van Heerden and Richard Capstick.

Joe Simmonds and Henry Slade landed three conversions each for the Pool A outfit, while the former also kicked a first-half penalty.

In the United Rugby Championship, fellow Pool A contenders Edinburgh Rugby fell to a 19-22 defeat at home to Emirates Lions.

Edinburgh, who face a trip to Saracens on December 11 in their Heineken Champions Cup opener, led for large parts of the contest thanks to tries from Bill Mata, Darcy Graham and Ben Muncaster, but a late penalty from the visitors stole victory.

Meanwhile, Munster Rugby succumbed 11-20 at Connacht Rugby. Patrick Campbell was the lone try-scorer for Munster, who host Stade Toulousain in their Heineken Champions Cup opener on December 11.