Toulouse 64-26 Exeter Chiefs - Hosts dominate Investec Champions Cup quarter-final with stunning show

Toulouse took a step closer to a sixth star on their shirts after demolishing a young Exeter Chiefs side 64-26 to rampage into the semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup.

It’s hard to believe that just over 40 minutes into the game Exeter were leading 19-17, but a flood of seven sublime tries from the five-time European champions completely overwhelmed Rob Baxter’s team.

The likes of Blair Kinghorn, Jack Willis, and of course Antoine Dupont, submerged Exeter in immense pressure at a Stade Ernest-Wallon full of sunshine and raucous Toulousains.

Ethan Roots and Zack Wimbush got on the scoreboard with tries, but Toulouse showed why they’re one of the world’s best.

They now face Harlequins at Toulouse Stadium on Sunday, May 5.

Like a boxer biding their time, feeling out their opponent before delivering the knockout blow, Toulouse took their time before putting Exeter to the sword.

Perhaps inspired by Harlequins’ heroics in Bordeaux on Saturday, Rob Baxter’s young guns kept neck and neck with the five-time champions in a 40-minute long arm wrestle. They started fast and hard, scoring a penalty after a pressure-filled five minutes before Romain Ntamack finished a sweeping Toulouse move with a try.

Just after the 15-minute mark, referee Chris Busby brandished a yellow card for Peato Mauvaka, prompting a hellish amount of booing to ring out around the stadium. Right after, Ethan Roots crashed over and Exeter had an unexpected lead. A few more penalties and a try from Willis saw the visitors lead 19-17 just after the second half.

But then Toulouse turned it on. The tries flowed as they completely overwhelmed the young Devonians. Kinghorn, whose work from the tee was flawless, scored two tries. Pita Ahki pitched in with one.

By the time ‘King’ Dupont crossed for his try shortly before the 60th minute, the game was all but over at 45-19.

Wimbush brought one back for the Chiefs with a seamless try straight from a lineout. But the mountain was too high to climb.

With a semi-final already secured, Toulouse could sit back and relax. Did they though? Definitely not. They scored three more in the closing 12 minutes, Ahki nabbing his brace and Juan Cruz Mallia scoring twice to crown a superhuman second-half display.

There’s not enough words to explain the elegance Toulouse produced today. And after Harlequins' monumental performance against Bordeaux, you do not want to miss these two sides clash live on TNT Sports and discovery+ next month.

Even with Leinster exorcising their Stade Rochelais demons, even with Harlequins heroically overcoming Bordeaux away to make their first semi-final, and even with Northampton's flourishing attack against a third-string Bulls side, Toulouse are almost certainly favourites after today.

Toulouse scored six tries in the last half hour alone. They're unbeaten at home in almost two years and it doesn't look likely that Harlequins change that.

"For me now, favourites tag sits with them. Great performance from Leinster yesterday but I have to say off the back of what we've just seen now, it will take a really, really good team to beat Toulouse," Brian O'Driscoll said on TNT Sports after the game.

It's not just Dupont and Ntamack. There's Kinghorn and Ahki, Mallia and Costes, Willis and Cros. Even the replacements, with the likes of Thomas Ramos and Thibaud Flament coming on. Their depth is probably unparalleled, maybe even better than Leinster's.

They'll put on an entertaining game with Quins but it's one they'll surely, ultimately, win. And it's straight to London from there.

Special shoutout to Blair Kinghorn, who was flawless from the tee and pitched in with two tries, but Paul Costes was the backbone of Toulouse today, and wins a deserved player of the match award.

At just 21-years-old, he has it all. The offensive brilliance that Toulouse excel in, the defensive nous needed to be a world-class centre - he's going to be some player, and one that Fabien Galthie needs to fit into the French team soon.

Toulouse: Baille 8, Mauvaka 7, Aldegheri 7, Arnold 7, Meafou 8, Willis 9, Cros 8, Roumat 7, Dupont 8, Ntamack 8, Lebel 8, Ahki 8, Costes 9, Mallia 8, Kinghorn 8.

Replacements: Marchand 7, Neti 7, Merkley 7, Flament 7, Brennan 7, Graou 7, Ramos 8, Chocobares 7

Exeter Chiefs: Sio 6, Yeandle 6, Painter 6, Tuima 6, Jenkins 6, Roots 7, Tshiunza 6, Vintcent 6, Cairns 5, Skinner 6, Woodburn 5, Slade 7, Devoto 5, Feyi-Waboso 7, Hodge 6.

Replacements: Southworth 5, Street 5, Pearson 5, Fisilau 5, Townsend 5, Haydon-Wood 5, Wimbush 6

8' TRY! NTAMACK | TOULOUSE 7-3 EXETER - Classic Toulouse try. First opportunity and they strike. Exeter get caught out and outnumbered on the wing, calm handling from Akhi and Lebel and Ntamack takes the spoils with a wonderful support line

18' TRY! ROOTS | TOULOUSE 7-13 EXETER - Straight from the tap and go after the yellow card and Roots crashes over for Chiefs to take the lead!

32' TRY! WILLIS | TOULOUSE 17-16 EXETER- Jack Willis barrels his way to the line on the blindside. Quick thinking from Dupont, a swift offload from Akhi and Willis runs straight through Skinner to open a clear run to the line.

48' TRY! KINGHORN | TOULOUSE 24-19 EXETER - Dupont delivers a nice pass that takes out about three Exeter players hugged tight to the ruck, and Kinghorn dots down without much issue. He converts too.

51' TRY! AHKI | TOULOUSE 31-19 EXETER - Lebel bursts through straight from a lineout and he feeds Ahki for his side's second try in this half.

57' TRY! KINGHORN | 38-19 EXETER- This is simply elegant from Toulouse now. Poetry in motion as they evade Exeter's blitz defence to get the ball to Costes on the wing, he offloads to Mallia and the Argentine offloads to Kinghorn for his second try!

58' TRY! DUPONT | TOULOUSE 45-19 EXETER - In the space of nine minutes it's absolutely over for Exeter. Toulouse are simply irresistible. A long-range try is finished by Dupont after Mallia seared down the wing.

62' TRY! WIMBUSH | TOULOUSE 45-26 EXETER - Chiefs get one back! It's a seamless try straight off the lineout and Wimbush crashes over. Lovely score, but still a long way back into this game.

68' TRY! MALLIA | TOULOUSE 52-26 EXETER - Pressure once again turns into points. Toulouse batter and batter Exeter at their tryline before a sweeping pass from Ntamack finds Mallia in acres of space.

75' TRY! AHKI | TOULOUSE 59-26 EXETER - Icing on the cake. Willis makes another incredible run, get's half-tackled and picks himself up to carry on before he's stopped short of the line. Quick ball and quick passing sees Ahki dive over for yet another score.

79' TRY! MALLIA | TOULOUSE 64-26 EXETER - This is ridiculous. Exeter lose the ball just inside their half, Mallia sweeps it up and runs all the way to score.

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing, NBA and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.