Dupont's Toulouse hold off Exeter as English Champions Cup woes continue

Record six-time winners Toulouse survived an early red card to edge Exeter 43-40 in the Champions Cup on Sunday as English woes in the opening round of the tournament deepened.

Prop Rodrigue Neti was sent off after just 15 minutes for a high tackle but Antoine Dupont's French giants avoided a first home defeat in the competition since 2022 thanks to a double from youngster Matias Remue.

The Chiefs scored six tries before Henry Slade missed a late penalty, which would have secured a draw, as the 2020 champions were unable to claim England's first win of an emotional opening weekend to the competition.

A minute's silence was held before kick-off at Le Stadium, and at all games over the weekend, in memory of the Lions' lock Hyron Andrews, who was found in cardiac arrest at the team hotel the day before his side's game at La Rochelle on Saturday.

Toulouse were without their first-choice locks Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament due to injury, while hooker Julien Marchand and full-back Thomas Ramos were also missing.

After a tight first half, the Chiefs deservedly led 26-24 with the hosts' prop Neti having been sent off for a shoulder hit on the visitors' back-rower Ross Vintcent.

The French side ended the opening 40 minutes down to 13 men after winger Teddy Thomas was yellow-carded for an accidental knock-on.

Italy scrum-half Stephen Varney was on fire for Chiefs, scoring a try and setting up another for clinical winger Zack Wimbush.

With a quarter of an hour left, Chiefs still led and a first English win was in sight, with a 40-38 advantage thanks to efforts from centre Will Butt and Wimbush's third of the proceedings.

Top 14 leaders Toulouse regained the lead with 12 minutes to play as Belgium full-back Remue crossed a second time, before experienced centre Slade missed his 82nd-minute penalty.

Earlier, Top 14 high-flyers Pau beat Prem outfit Leicester 41-17 as Portugal centre Rodrigo Marta crossed twice for the hosts to continue his impressive start to the season.

The home side ran in five tries, courtesy of Marta, Jon Zabala, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang and Fabien Brau-Boirie, while fly-half Axel Desperes racked up 16 points with the boot.

Ollie Chessum had scored a try inside 10 minutes to give Leicester an early lead and Archie van der Flier crossed the whitewash in the second period, but the home side managed to hold the visitors at arm's length to earn a bonus-point win.

After Gloucester drew Friday's opening match against double-defending champions Bordeaux-Begles, English sides have tasted only defeat with Sale, Saracens, Bath and Bristol all losing on Saturday.

"The best English teams and French teams go toe-to-toe," Tigers head coach Geoff Parling told reporters.

"It's just one weekend, we'll see what it's like at the end of the competition," he added.

Prem champions Northampton will attempt to restore English pride when they host Cardiff later Sunday.