Match Centre: Champions Cup: Toulon 18-19 Exeter Chiefs
Henry Slade kicked two crucial conversions for Exeter Chiefs
©PA
Toulon 18-19 Exeter Chiefs, Pool 3, Stade Felix Mayol
Jacques Vermeulen scored the decisive try in the closing stage and Henry Slade followed with the conversion as Exeter Chiefs edged out Toulon 19-18 in their Pool 3 opening game of the Investec Champions Cup at Stade Felix Mayol.
Dan Biggar, who announced his retirement from international rugby was ruled out of the encounter for Toulon due to an injury but Vermeulen made his mark for the Chiefs allowing them to make a comeback late in the game.
The win will be a relief for Exeter, who are at the sixth place in the Gallagher Premiership table with five victories from eight matches.
Exeter started the game with a lot of intent and were rewarded in the 15th minute when Harvey Skinner made an interception on his own ten metre line to touchdown but Slade's conversion drifted wide.
The home side made a strong comeback as Beka Gigashvili dotted down at the back of a rumbling maul and shortly Charles Ollivon overcame tackle from Ben Hammersley and Cairns to feed Ben White for their second try. Enzo Herve slotted the first conversion but missed the second as Toulon raced to a 12-5 lead.
Toulon suffered a setback as Brian Alainu'uese was sin-binned in the 30th minute for a shoulder to the head tackle on Hammersley but Exeter failed to make use of the numerical advantage. Instead, Herve kicked back to back penalties to ensure Toulon completed the opening half with a 18-5 lead.
Exeter applied early pressure on Toulon in the second half as their defence was found wanting and they eventually got their breakthrough in the 57th minute as Max Norey on his European debut powered over the line and Slade's conversion made it a six point game.
The decisive moment though came in the 78th minute as Vermeulen crossed the whitewash in the 78th minute which was awarded after a consultation with the TMO to make it a 18-17 before Slade kicked a nerveless conversion to steer the Chiefs through.
Team line up:
Toulon: Jaminet; Drean, Nayacalevu, Smaili, Villiere; Herve, White; Devaux, Singleton, Gigashvili, Halagahu, Alainu'uese, Abadie, Ollivon (capt), Isa.
Reserves: 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.
Reserves: Norey, Abuladze, Street, Pearson, Vintcent, Townsend, O'Loughlin, Woodburn.
