Toulouse hold off Exeter 43-40 despite early Neti red card

Toulouse beat Exeter Chiefs 43-40 in the Champions Cup after playing most of a dramatic pool match with 14 men, BBC Sport reported. Henry Slade had a chance to draw Exeter level with the clock past 80 minutes, but his penalty attempt from about 40 metres went wide, leaving the visitors three points short in France.

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Exeter wing Zack Wimbush scored three tries after coming into the starting side for the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. His first arrived in the second minute, before Toulouse responded through Ange Capuozzo and a penalty try. The latter also brought a yellow card for Exeter full-back Sam Harris. Toulouse were leading 12-7 when prop Rodrigue Neti was sent off in the 16th minute.

Neti was dismissed for shoulder-to-head contact in a tackle on Ross Vintcent, giving Exeter a numerical advantage for the remainder of the game. Wimbush soon added his second try, but Toulouse continued to threaten despite losing their prop. Joshua Brennan and Teddy Thomas both crossed to put the hosts 10 points ahead during a first half that produced eight tries.

The balance changed again when Thomas was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, temporarily leaving Toulouse with 13 players. Exeter took advantage through tries from Jack Yeandle and Stephen Varney, with Varney touching down beneath the posts. The visitors went into the interval 26-24 ahead after each team had scored four tries in an opening period marked by repeated changes in momentum.

Will Butt extended Exeter's advantage to nine points after the break following a charge-down of Antoine Dupont's attempted clearance. Toulouse recovered through their attacking play, however, and the lead continued to change hands. Wimbush completed his hat-trick, while two tries from Matias Remue and another from Romain Ntamack helped the hosts establish the three-point margin they ultimately protected. Exeter's Ben Hammersley was in the sin-bin when Toulouse regained the advantage.

Slade had converted five of Exeter's six tries before the visitors received their late opportunity to level the scores. Exeter chose to kick at goal, but the centre's attempt drifted just wide. Toulouse, six-time winners of the competition, held on against the 2020 champions despite Neti's early dismissal and Wimbush's three-try contribution.