Match Report Exeter Chiefs Men v Stade Toulousain

A last-minute penalty sailed just wide of the posts to deny Chiefs a draw against the six-times European champions Toulouse. Instead, Chiefs had to be content with a try bonus-point when a victory had definitely been a possibility with the home side losing a player to red card early in the game. The lead changed hands seven times in a real Investec Champions Cup classic, but in the end, Toulouse hung on to take the win in front of a sold-out crowd.

Thirteen tries were scored this afternoon with the opening lineout and drive of the game setting up the visitors for their first try of the day through young winger Zack Wimbush who went over the line in just the second minute. Centre Henry Slade converted from the touchline to give Chiefs an early 0-7 lead.

But Toulouse wasted no time in returning the favour with France’s mercurial scrum-half Antonie Dupont recycling the ball through the phases to send over winger Ange Vapuozzo four minutes later. Romain Ntamack was not as successful from the tee though and Chiefs held onto a two-point lead.

The home side extended their lead after a penalty try was awarded to Toulouse after a Sam Harris hand prevented what referee Holly Davidson thought was a probable score when it looked like Kalvin Gourges had knocked the ball on after collecting his own grubber kick followed a probing run from fellow centre Santiago Chocobares. The men in red were 12-7 ahead after 10 minutes gone.

Exeter seemed unruffled by the early brace of tries. They remained lively and got themselves back into Toulouse’s 22 with captain Dafydd Jenkins stretching his legs into space aided and abetted by centre Will Butt. Their efforts were further assisted by a red card for prop Rodrique Neti in the 15th minute after his elbow met Ross Vintcent’s head.

The forwards made the most of the even numbers by gathering on the tryline before scrum-half Stephen Varney sent a long pass out to Wimbush for his second try in the same place he scored his first. Slade was straight and true with his second conversion to regain the lead.

Toulouse remained troublesome, however, and after a disallowed try, Tommy Wyatt knocked on a kick ahead from Romain Ntamack and the men in red were back in scoring territory. A try was awarded to Joshua Brennan after Davidson had a peer through the melee of bodies heaped on the tryline to spot the grounded ball. This time Romain Ntamack was solid with the conversion to make it 19-14.

Romain Ntamack then sent the ball out wide to Teddy Thomas who streaked down the wing to send Dupont into space. Wyatt tracked back to put in a try-saving tackle but had to take the ball over the tryline in his efforts to prevent the score. With a scrum on Chiefs’ five-metre line, the Toulouse pressure told with the ball sent back out to Thomas to claim the try he had tried to score twice already.

His glory was short-lived as he was sent to the sin-bin for a slapped down pass after Butt found himself in space with Harris in support. The ensuing penalty was kicked to touch for the lineout with the drive sending hooker Jack Yeandle over for Chiefs’ third try with Toulouse struggling to stem the tide with just 13 men on the pitch.

The next score belonged to Chiefs too. With the pitch tearing up underfoot Varney, he tore off down the field after sneaking around the short-side of the ruck on his own 10-metre line and running the length to claim Chiefs’ bonus-point try. This propelled Chiefs into a 24-26 lead at half-time against the Kings of Europe.

The second half opened brightly for Chiefs with Thomas still off the pitch. Wimbush flirted with a third try but met Toulouse opposition. Butt was lying in wait, however, to follow up his side’s offensive efforts with a score under the posts to make it three unanswered tries for Chiefs and his first try for the club. Slade added the extras to stretch Chiefs’ lead to 24-33.

Toulouse full-back Matias Remue combined with restored Thomas to create some magic down the right wing. Romaine Ntamack’s conversion brought Toulouse within two points but Dupont’s back pass to his fly-half gave the latter the split-second moment to carve through Chiefs’ defence to score under the posts to regain the lead. Even a player down, you can never take your eyes off Toulouse.

With the last quarter to go, Chiefs were five points behind as director of rugby Rob Baxter began to empty his bench. A Chiefs lineout was followed by patient phases from the forwards, sucking in Toulouse defenders, before a long pass out to Wimbush saw him get his hat-trick try. Slade’s conversion restored Chiefs’ lead to 38-40.

Chiefs then suffered a blow with Ben Hammersley shown a yellow card for a high tackle. This evened up the numbers for the next 10 minutes, although the crowd was baying for more following the red issued to their player earlier in the game.

A Toulouse lineout set up a drive towards Chiefs line with but why use the forwards when you have Remue punching holes in defences? He sped over the line to swap the lead back to the home side. Romaine Ntamack found the uprights with his conversion, however, and the lead remained at three points.

Exeter conceded two penalties in their own half to pile needless pressure on themselves in the final minutes. The lineout and drive, already a proven route to success, was selected to seal the win. A cross-field kick from Dupont to Thomas looked to be the move to set up the score but Slade sprinted to the other side of the pitch to defend it. Two more lineouts followed and Chiefs stole the second back through Kane James’s uncorked energy.

Hammersley returned to the field for the final three minutes and Chiefs were awarded a penalty that they kicked to touch for their own lineout. A crooked throw gave Toulouse possession though and the chance to run down the clock.

But that last scrum did not go Toulouse’s way with Chiefs pushing the home side off the ball to draw the penalty. With the clock in the red, Slade pointed to the posts for the penalty, but the ball faded past the posts and Davidson blew her final whistle.