Match Centre: Champions Cup: Bayonne 40-17 Exeter Chiefs

Bayonne 40-17 Exeter Chiefs, Pool 3, Stade Jean Dauger

Bayonne ran a six-try riot as they went on to defeat Exeter Chiefs 40-17 in the final group stage game in the ongoing Investec Champions Cup at Stade Jean Dauger on Sunday.

This is first defeat for Exeter in four games despite which they finished second in Pool 3 while Bayonne will drop down into the Challenge Cup after ending the pool stage in fifth.

The game also saw two yellow cards from Bayonne while Exeter also had their indiscipline problems as they had Ollie Devoto, Dafydd Jenkins and Jack Yeandle sin-binned while Joe Hawkins was red carded in the closing stage.

The hosts got the opening try in the opening minute as fullback Tom Spring went past a number of Exeter defenders to ground the ball and Thomas Dolhagaray kicked the conversion. The Chiefs responded almost immediately as Tom Cairns sent a perfect pass for Dan Frost to touchdown and Henry Slade's conversion meant the scores were levelled.

The French side seized the lead back in the 18th minute as Kote Mikautadze powered his way over the line before Exeter's Ollie Devoto was sin-binned for an infringement in the 22nd minute. With the numerical advantage on their side, Bayonne dominated the proceedings with back to back tries from Aurélien Callandret and Victor Hannoun extending their lead to 26-7 before ayonne's Dolhagaray was yellow carded for a cynical foul at the stroke of half time.

Exeter dominated the opening exchanges in the second half as Dafydd Jenkins and Rus Tuima scored back to back tries making it 26-17 before Bayonne lost their second player to yellow card as Callandret was found guilty of a deliberate knock on. The final 15 minutes saw Dafydd Jenkins sent to sin bin for a high tackle while Jack Yeandle was sent from the field with the game’s fifth yellow card before Joe Hawkins received the first red card for a high tackle on brace-scorer, Mori.

With the numerical advantage on their side, Federico Mori scored a brace as Bayonne completed a 23 point victory.

Team line up:

Bayonne: Spring; Callandret, Maqala, Lestrade, Hannoun; Dolhagaray, Rouet; Perchaud, Giudicelli, Tagi, Marchois (c), Mikautadze, Huguet, Heguy, Bruni.

Reserves: Bosch, Cormenier, Villar, Leindekar, Ariceta, Labarbe, Mori, Pourailly.

Exeter: Hodge; Hammersley, Slade, Devoto, Woodburn; Skinner, Cairns; Hepburn, Frost, Painter, Tuima, Jenkins (c), Roots, Vermeulen, Fisilau.

Reserves: Yeandle, Southworth, Iosefa-Scott, Pearson, Vintcent, Townsend, Hawkins, Wimbush.