Exeter Chiefs narrowly missed out on a historic victory in France on Sunday after Henry Slade failed to convert a late penalty in a thrilling Champions Cup fixture against Toulouse.
The English club pushed the six-time tournament champions to the absolute limit despite playing the majority of the match with a numerical advantage. Toulouse had to navigate nearly three-quarters of the game with only 14 men following the dismissal of prop Rodrigue Neti in the 16th minute. Neti received a red card for a high shoulder-to-head collision during a tackle on Ross Vintcent.
Zack Wimbush put in a standout performance for the visitors on the wing, stepping into the starting lineup due to an injury to England international Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Wimbush made an immediate impact by crossing for the opening try inside the second minute, stunning the home supporters.
Toulouse responded swiftly, however, taking control through scores from Ange Capuozzo and a penalty try that briefly reduced Exeter's personnel on the field after Sam Harris was sent to the sin-bin. Even after Neti was red-carded, the hosts managed to extend their lead thanks to tries from Joshua Brennan and Teddy Thomas.
The opening period descended into a frantic try-scoring showcase. Exeter fought back brilliantly while Thomas served a yellow-card suspension for a deliberate knock-on, with Jack Yeandle and Stephen Varney both crossing the whitewash. By the end of a remarkable first half, eight tries had been shared and Exeter held a narrow 26-24 advantage.
The momentum continued to shift after the break. Will Butt capitalized on a charged-down clearance kick from Antoine Dupont to widen the gap, pushing Exeter nine points ahead.
Toulouse demonstrated their renowned resilience, however, launching a brilliant attacking sequence that erased the deficit. Matias Remue touched down twice, and Romain Ntamack added another score to swing the match back in favor of the French giants.
Wimbush completed his hat-trick as Exeter refused to surrender, keeping the contest on a knife-edge. As the clock entered the red, the visitors earned a penalty within range to secure a draw. Slade, who had successfully converted five previous attempts during the afternoon, pulled his long-range effort wide of the posts.
The missed kick left Exeter empty-handed in terms of a win, though they salvaged a crucial losing bonus point from a classic European encounter. The outcome added to a difficult weekend for Premiership clubs in the Champions Cup, following losses for both Bath and Leicester.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
