Following Exeter Chiefs’ brave 43-40 defeat to Toulouse in their Investec Champions Cup opener, here is how we scored Rob Baxter’s side from the epic clash.
Exeter Chiefs ratings v Toulouse
15 Sam Harris: Some nice flashes in there as he continues to settle into the Chiefs side, he dealt with the Toulouse onslaught well. 5
14 Zack Wimbush: A big performance from the rangy outside back, but it was such a shame to see him come off with an injury. Looked really strong in the contact, often giving his opposite man a meaty mitt to the face along the way, and his ability to float between different spots made him a regular feature in the Chiefs’ attack. Bagged himself a nice hat-trick for his troubles, too. 8
13 Henry Slade: Not his strongest display in a Chiefs jersey, but not awful by any means. Combined well with the rest of the backline around him, but never quite got into his usual groove. 5
12 Will Butt: Outstanding display from the powerful back, which should put Steve Borthwick on high alert. Seemed to break the otherwise solid Toulouse defensive line with every single carry, charging through space and dragging the Chiefs up with him. His try was a fitting reward for his efforts, which on another day would have got him the man of the match gong. 9
11 Tom Wyatt: Never stopped working for his side when on, but picked up a knock and was substituted in the first-half. He has really not had it easy on that front, so hopefully it is just a precaution rather than anything serious. 5
10 Harvey Skinner: Steady stuff without setting the pitch alight. He does seem to be forming a nice connection with Butt now, which allowed the off-season recruit to shine. 5
9 Stephen Varney: Faced the unenviable task of going up against Antoine Dupont, but was simply phenomenal across the 80 minutes and played a big role in Exeter’s strong display. Again acted as Exeter’s chief attacking general, bossing proceedings around the fringes of the ruck and contributing a team-high 76 metres ball-in-hand too. A joy to watch when he plays like this. 9
Back-row
8 Greg Fisilau: Imperious work in the tight, as he rolled up his sleeves and took the fight to Toulouse. Just seemed to be right where his team needed him at every turn, making carry after carry and tackle after tackle, and will be very sore in the morning. 7
7 Ross Vintcent: Big mister stuff from the Italian international, who has made an immediate impact on his return to the Exeter back-row. Continues to inject a fresh dynamic to their attack with his blend of power and pace, and got stuck into the breakdown battle to great effect. 7
6 Ethan Roots: A real thorn in Toulouse’s side all afternoon, which is what we have come to expect from him. His work in the maul really helped neutralise the hosts’ work in that department, and worked hard in defence to boot with a strong 16 tackles. 7
Tight five
5 Dafydd Jenkins: Captain’s knock from the towering Welsh lock, who set the tone for his side’s efforts in the tight. Never shied away from the hard graft on either side of the ball, and that played a key role in Exeter’s gutsy effort. 8
4 Tom Hooper: Lock suits him well. Tag-teamed beautifully with Jenkins next to him to create absolute havoc for Toulouse in the tight, chucking himself into that battle and coming away in a good light. Exeter missed him in the early season, and this yet again shows his value to the side. 8
3 Josh Iosefa-Scott: In decent form this year, he had another decent day of it against Toulouse. Fared well in the scrum across his shift and made some nice efforts in defence. 6
2 Jack Yeandle: Mature display from the ever-classy hooker. Rock solid at the set-piece, particularly at the lineout, and got about in the loose too. Got himself a try for his efforts, in real old-school Chiefs fashion. 7
1 Will Goodrick-Clarke: Possibly an understated display but a good one at that. Contributed well on both sides of the ball around the park, while growing better in the scrum as the day went on. 7
Replacements: Lots to like about the way the Chiefs bench went about their business. Ben Hammersley, aside from his yellow card, had arguably his best game for the club, while Kane James, Jimmy Roots, Louie Gulley, Will Haydon-Wood and Ethan Burger also had some nice flashes during their respective stints on the pitch. Played their part in a strong overall display. 7