Toulouse rally to beat Exeter as Slade’s last‑minute penalty falls short

Toulouse edged Exeter Chiefs 43‑40 in a dramatic Investec Champions Cup pool match on 18 October 2026, overcoming a red card and playing most of the second half with 14 men. The French side, the most successful club in the competition’s history with six titles, secured the win after Henry Slade missed a long-range penalty that would have forced a draw.

Exeter’s wing Zack Wimbush, drafted in for the injured England centre Immanuel Feyi‑Waboso, scored a hat‑trick, but his efforts fell short. The Chiefs led 12‑7 early on, but prop Rodrigue Neti was sent off in the 16th minute for a shoulder‑to‑head tackle on Ross Vintcent, leaving Exeter a man down.

The first half was a scoring frenzy, ending 26‑24 to Exeter after eight tries – four apiece – and two yellow cards. Wimbush opened the scoring for the home side, only for Italy’s Ange Capuozzo to respond, followed by a penalty try that also saw Exeter full‑back Sam Harris sin‑binned. After Neti’s dismissal, Wimbush added a second try, while Toulouse’s Joshua Brennan and Teddy Thomas put the French side ten points ahead. Exeter fought back, with Jack Yeandle and Stephen Varney crossing the line as Thomas received a yellow card for a deliberate knock‑on.

In the second half, Exeter extended their lead to nine points when Will Butt capitalised on a charged‑down kick from Antoine Dupont. However, Toulouse answered quickly. Wimbush completed his hat‑trick, but Matías Remu é scored twice and Romain Ntamack added another, giving Toulouse a three‑point edge. A late penalty awarded to Exeter saw Slade line up from about 40 metres, but his kick drifted wide, leaving the Chiefs with only a losing bonus point.

Scorers: Toulouse – Capuozzo, penalty try, Brennan, Thomas, Remu é (2), R Ntamack. Conversions – R Ntamack (3). Exeter – Wimbush (3), Yeandle, Varney, Butt. Conversions – Slade (5).

Toulouse line‑up: Remu é; Thomas, Gourgues, Chocobares, Capuozzo; R Ntamack, Dupont (c); Neti, Lacombre, Aldegheri, Brennan, Merkler, Cros, Elias, T Ntamack. Replacements: Mauvaka, Bertrand, Colombe, Bonnard Martin, Jelonch, Kouassi, Graou, Menoncello.

Exeter line‑up: Harris; Wimbush, Slade, Butt, Wyatt; Skinner, Varney; Goodrick‑Clarke, Yeandle, Iosefa‑Scott, Hooper, Jenkins (c), E Roots, Vintcent, Fisilau. Replacements: Gulley, Burger, J Roots, Wilson, James, Wolstenholme, Haydon‑Wood, Hammersley.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) with assistants Rob McDowell and Finlay Brown, and TMO Dave Sutherland.