In this article, the problem of robust exponential stability and reliable stabilisation for a class of continuous-time networked control systems (NCSs) with a sample-data controller and unknown time-varying sampling rate is considered. The analysis is based on average dwell-time, Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique. The delay-dependent criteria are developed for ensuring the robust exponential stability of the considered NCSs. The obtained conditions are formulated in terms of LMIs that can easily be solved by using standard software packages. Furthermore, the result is extended to study the robust stabilisation for NCS with parameter uncertainties. A state feedback controller is constructed in terms of the solution to a set of LMIs, which guarantee the robust exponential stabilisation of NCS and the controller. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained results.