Tops / Flops Exeter-Toulouse: historic first for the Chiefs, the Stade has lost ground

Tops

A historic first for Exeter

The Chiefs played their first European semi-final, they will play their first final against Racing 92 on October 17th in Bristol.

Solid in defense and realistic in its highlights, the English team defeated Stade Toulousain (28-18), in its garden of Sandy Park.

After conquering England in 2017, for what remains his one and only Premiership title, Exeter is now heading for Europe more than ever.

A front eight in tune

The English forwards have undoubtedly bitten the dust on their Toulouse counterparts this Saturday.

As proof, three of the four trials of Rob Baxter's men are almost identical.

Patient on the edge of the opposing goal line, the English were rewarded for their efforts by the pillar Harry Williams, author of a double (31st, 60th) and of the third center line, Sam Simmonds (39th), who registered their tries after a long pick-and-go streak.

Balanced during the first act, the melee debates then turned to the advantage of the Chiefs, who obtained several penalties in this sector, after returning from the locker room.

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Julien Marchand survived.

He was undoubtedly the most prominent Toulouse player.

Generous in defense where he notably scratched four balls on the ground, hooker Julien Marchand was also invaluable offensively thanks to his percussion force and his ability to give the ball after contact.

A top-flight performance that did not prevent the Stade Toulousain leaving the road, eliminated at the gates of the final for the second consecutive year.

Flops

Stade Toulousain lost their footing

Authors of a promising first period where they could have joined the locker room with the advantage in the score without the try of Sam Simmonds just before the break, Ugo Mola's men seemed to lose their physical footing. to the repeated charges of the English before the hour of play. Sanctioned by two tests which offered a comfortable mattress of 17 points in advance in Exeter (28-14, 71st), the Toulousans registered their first points only too late of the second act, with the essay by Mathis Lebel (75th), at the end of a marvel of collective action.

The damage was already done for the Red and Black, deprived of a seventh European final.

Arnold's injury hurt Stade

No one will ever know what would have happened if Rory Arnold, with a rib

, hadn't come out prematurely in the 23rd minute.

Be that as it may, the absence of the Australian second row weighed heavily in the Toulouse game, as its impact is no longer to be demonstrated.

True compass of the alignment in touch, its partners were deregulated in this sector after its exit and its slaughter in the zones of ruck, would undoubtedly have lent a hand to its partners, on the first three actions of test of Exeter.

One of the turning points of the match.

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