Despite a great start and great resistance in the first period, Lyon largely gave in to defending champion Exeter (47-25), Saturday in the round of 16 of the European Cup.
For 25 minutes, Lyon seemed able to thwart the English steamroller, thanks to an offensive game inspired and energized by passes after contact that put the opposing defense to death.
A breakthrough from Toby Arnold had sent Baptiste Couilloud to the test in the 6th minute (0-7), before winger Xavier Mignot, at the end of the line after a touch stolen from the English in their 22 meters, digs the gap (0-14), while we had been playing for less than ten minutes.
Two yellow cards too many
A first attempt, unprocessed, by Johnny Hill, to which a penalty from Jonathan Wisniewski had responded, had left the Lyonnais in a favorable position (5-17) midway through the first act.
But the Chiefs' engine eventually reached cruising speed and Lyon found itself cornered on its line and forced to use expedients.
The pillar Vivien Devisme paid the costs of this accumulation of faults with a yellow card (25th) which was sanctioned just seconds after by a second try from Hill (12-17).
Three minutes later, the Exeter full-backs decided to recall that the European champion was much more than a bunch of forwards, with a nice combination towards the wing that opened the in-goal for Tom O 'Flaherty and gave the advantage for the first time of the match to the premises (19-17, 30th).
Wisniewski once again gave Lyon the advantage of a penalty (20-19, 35th), but just before the break, a new showdown near the Lyonnais line ended with an attempt by Ollie Devoto to allow to Exeter to take the lead (26-20).
No doubt physically affected by their debauchery of energy and morally by its lack of fruit, Lyon suffered much more during the second half of the match, Dave Ewers in force (33-20 51st) driving the point home.
A second yellow card, to the pillar Xavier Chiocci this time, for a fault in closed scrum, was the definitive turning point of the match, a penalty try being awarded shortly after to the English (40-20, 62nd).
The last two tries, by Olly Woodburn for Exeter (47-20, 77th) and that of honor for the Lyonnais, by Dylan Cretin (47-25) inflated the score of a match where the logic was finally imposed quite brilliantly
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