The home side got off to a flying start and had bagged their try bonus-point before the break as they led 34-3. The scoring slowed down in the second half, with Marcus Ramage’s men only adding one more try, before finishing victors by 42-22.
A big crowd is expected at the Arms Park for the battle for local bragging rights on Wednesday night and the Cardiff Met fans got into full voice as they saw they side hold reigning champions Durham to a 13-13 draw at Cyncoed.
It looked as though Brad Denty’s try 10 minutes from time might have been the winner for the home side. Brad Roderick-Evans added the extras having earlier kicked two penalties.
But then Tom Fletcher burrowed over from a ruck on the home line for the visitors and Patrick Bishop held his nerve to level matters on the stroke of time to secure a last-gasp draw.
Swansea University made the mistake of taking the lead against visiting Exeter with a fifth minute penalty from Gwyn Parks and then found themselves on the end of a major reaction. The former champions ran in seven tries and 57 unanswered points and to firmly underline their potential and firepower.
Swansea managed to bag a try at the death from Scarlets scrum half Harri Williams, which Drew Musa converted, but the final word went to Exeter as they bagged an eighth try to make it 64-10 in the end. Among the Exeter try scorers were Wales U20 caps Dan John and Dafydd Jenkins, and England U20 Grand Slam wing Arthur Relton, while outside half Josh Barton kicked 24 points.
The Welsh side have to head north to face Leeds Beckett in round two next week, where they will meet a team who opened with a 53-23 home win over Bath. Exeter host Cardiff University in round three.
