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Toulouse Beats Exeter Chiefs 43-40 After Red Card

By Drooid · Oct 18, 2026, 10:39 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Toulouse Defeats Exeter

Toulouse overcame an early red card to defeat Exeter Chiefs 43-40 in the Champions Cup.
Antoine Dupont said Henry Slade’s missed penalty cost Exeter a draw.
Northampton Saints beat Cardiff Rugby 28-12, delivering England’s first win of the weekend.
Glasgow Warriors continued unbeaten run by defeating Sale Sharks 47-27 in Pool 1.
Leinster secured a 48-23 bonus-point victory over Clermont in Pool 1.

Summary

Van Zyl Requests Reschedule

Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl asked EPCR to move the match earlier, but EPCR rejected the request.
The rejection highlighted clubs’ concerns about congested weekend fixtures in the Champions Cup.
Taulupe Faletau made his first Cardiff appearance since March, returning for Wales and Lions.
Fly-half Anthony Belleau was sin-binned for a breakdown infringement near his own line at the hour mark.

History

Historical Context

In 2009, the European Rugby Cup (ERC) introduced a revised Champions Cup schedule after the Heineken Cup final clash forced clubs into a 48-hour turnaround. The ERC’s decision followed a €10 million television contract that demanded eight weekend fixtures per pool, compressing the season by three weeks. Today's EPCR refusal to shift Cardiff’s pool match, despite Corniel van Zyl’s request, mirrors 2009 pressure on Toulouse, Exeter, and Glasgow to play amid weekends. Continued fixture congestion risks player fatigue, as seen in Antoine Dupont’s criticism of Henry Slade’s missed penalty and Anthony Belleau’s sin-bin, prompting calls for reform.

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Toulouse Defeats Exeter

Toulouse overcame an early red card to defeat Exeter Chiefs 43-40 in the Champions Cup.
Antoine Dupont said Henry Slade’s missed penalty cost Exeter a draw.
Northampton Saints beat Cardiff Rugby 28-12, delivering England’s first win of the weekend.
Glasgow Warriors continued unbeaten run by defeating Sale Sharks 47-27 in Pool 1.
Leinster secured a 48-23 bonus-point victory over Clermont in Pool 1.

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