Exeter Chiefs slipped to a 43-40 Champions Cup defeat against 14-man Toulouse rugby despite Zack Wimbush scoring a hat-trick.

A thrilling start saw Wimbush cross for the Chiefs only a minute into the match, with Henry Slade adding the extras. Ange Capuozzo soon struck for the hosts but Romain Ntamack was unable to convert before they went ahead through a penalty try.

A frenetic seven-minute period saw Chiefs full-back Sam Harris sent to the sin bin before Toulouse prop Rodrigue Neti was shown a red card for a high tackle and Exeter pounced as Wimbush went over again with Slade’s kick successful.

Toulouse responded through Joshua Brennan’s converted effort and a Teddy Thomas try, but the latter was shown a yellow card which allowed Exeter to regain control as Jack Yeandle and Stephen Varney both crossed, with Slade only able to convert the latter, to lead 26-24 at the break.

They extended their advantage soon after the restart when Will Butt grounded and Slade converted, but they continued to be tested by Toulouse, who squeezed ahead as Matias Remue and Ntamack both scored in quick succession, with the fly-half converting both.

Wimbush bagged his hat-trick and Slade’s conversion put Exeter in front again, but Ben Hammersley was then shown yellow and Toulouse struck through Remue’s try to edge ahead. A dramatic finale saw Slade send a penalty kick wide in the final moments as Toulouse narrowly snatched victory.

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Ollie Chessum made a try-scoring return from injury but Leicester fell short in their opening Champions Cup clash with Pau in the south of France.

Archie van der Flier gave the Tigers a flicker of hope when his 54th-minute try put his side within touching distance but the hosts ultimately pulled away for a 41-17 bonus-point win.

Leicester went into the game on the back of two straight wins in the Gallagher Prem and their confidence was evident when the returning Chessum powered over in his first appearance of the season.

But tries from Rodrigo Marta and Jon Zabala gave Pau a half-time lead and when they stretched their advantage through Marta’s second early in the second half, it looked all over for the visitors.

Van der Flier had other ideas when he powered over, Billy Searle’s kick taking them back within seven points, but a silly penalty and a subsequent try from Aaron Grandidier Nkanang all but sealed it for the French side.

Pau sealed their bonus point in the dying stages when Searle’s attempted pass was intercepted and Fabien Brau-Boirie blazed home to secure an emphatic win.

PA