JUST IN: In a thrilling Champions Cup victory at Toulon, Exeter Chiefs score late goals; Bath destroys Ulster at home.

Benjamin Sue December 9, 2023

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Exeter opened their Champions Cup campaign with a thrilling 19–18 victory over Toulon thanks to a spectacular conversion from Henry Slade with the game’s last kick.

Despite having a 13-point deficit at the interval, the Chiefs managed to hold French Top 14 rivals Toulon scoreless in the second half.

Flanker With one minute remaining at Stade Mayol, Jacques Vermeulen scored Exeter’s third try from close range. Under tremendous pressure, England international centre Slade converted.

And it meant that in their pursuit of a round-of-16 spot, Rob Baxter’s squad got off to a great start at the beginning of each of the four pool stage weekends.

Fly-half The Chiefs’ Harvey Skinner scored an early interception try, but Toulon seized the lead when prop Beka Gigashvili and Ben White, a former Leicester scrum-half, touched down. Fly-half Enzo Herve added two penalties and a conversion.

Exeter was trailing 18-5 at the time, but the Chiefs’ second-half comeback will go down as one of their best in their European history, with hooker Max Norey scoring a try that Slade converted prior to the thrilling finish.