| Toulon: (18) 18 |
| Tries: Gigashvili, White Pens: Herve 2 Con: Herve |
| Exeter: (5) 19 |
| Tries: Skinner, Norey, Vermeulen Cons: Slade 2 |
Henry Slade kicked an injury-time conversion to claim a dramatic win over Toulon in the Investec Champions Cup.
The Chiefs took an early lead through an intercept try from Harvey Skinner but Toulon responded with tries from Beka Gigashvili and Ben White.
Replacement Max Norey powered over to give Exeter hope of a dramatic comeback to bring his side back in touch.
Jacques Vermeulen then scored in the last minute before Slade kicked the extras for a memorable win in France.
Toulon, who won the competition three times in a row from 2013-2015, failed to register a point in the second half, with Enzo Herve’s two first-half penalties their last scores.
Both sides showed incredible defence to keep each other scoreless for the majority of the second period until Norey, after repeated pressure from the Exeter forwards, found the tryline.
With the 2020 European champions only a converted try from a vital opening victory, Vermeulen – one of only two players in the matchday squad to have played in that final – pushed his way over to leave Slade, the second player, to seal the victory.
Inexperienced Exeter show signs of a new era
Last season saw the end of Exeter’s golden generation with academy products Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan-Dickie moving on to La Rochelle and Sale Sharks to signal the end of a successful era.
This included a famous double in 2020 to claim the Premiership and Champions Cup, with a win over Racing 92 securing their first European title.
Baxter’s youthful side showed plenty of fight during the opening period amid a hostile atmosphere in Toulon with Skinner grabbing the first try, intercepting the ball to sprint over half the field untouched.
Toulon responded through Gigashvili from a driving maul before Scotland scrum-half White, who joined the French side after the demise of London Irish, snuck over after a rampaging run from captain Charles Ollivon.
Recently retired Wales fly-half Dan Biggar was signed by Toulon for big European games but injury ruled the 34-year-old out of the fixture. His replacement Herve showed similar levels of reliability off the tee to extend the three-time champions lead with two penalties before the break.
But two tries in the final period showed why Exeter’s recent history will not be forgotten, with Slade repeating his match-winning kick against Gloucester in November to show that while it may be a new era, those who have gone before are still paving the way.
Exeter next host Munster at Sandy Park on Sunday, 17 December. Toulon will visit Northampton, who were impressive in their 28-19 victory away at Glasgow Warriors, on Friday.
Line-ups
Toulon: Jaminet; Drean, Nayacalevu, Smaili, Villiere; Herve, White; Devaux, Singleton, Gigashvili, Halagahu, Alainu’uese, Abadie, Ollivon (capt), Isa.
Replacements: Tolofua, Priso, Setiano, Ribbans, Du Preez, Serin, Fainga’anuku, Rabut.
Exeter: Wyatt; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Hawkins, Hammersley; Skinner, Cairns; Sio, Frost, Painter, Tuima, Jenkins (capt), Roots, Vermeulen, Fisilau.
Replacements: Norey, Abuladze, Street, Pearson, Vintcent, Townsend, O’Loughlin, Woodburn.
Referee: Chris Busby
Sin-bin: Alainu’uese (31)
