Last Updated: 17/10/20 7:07pm
Ten years after climbing out of the Championship, Exeter Chiefs were crowned kings of Europe on Saturday when they beat Racing 92 31-27 in a superb Champions Cup final full of tries and amazing defensive intensity.
Playing in the showpiece final for the first time, Exeter led 21-12 at the break after pushover tries for forwards Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Simmonds and Harry Williams, with Simon Zebo and Juan Imhoff keeping the French side in touch.
Zebo and Camile Chat crossed either side of a try from an interception by Exeter’s Henry Slade and a Maxime Machenaud penalty then dragged Racing, beaten finalists in 2016 and 2018, to within a point with 15 minutes remaining.
Exeter, down to 14 for the last nine minutes, produced a magnificent goalline defence as Racing hammered at their line and earned a last-minute penalty that Joe Simmonds slotted to secure the title – albeit after some confusion over whether the match had reached full-time.
They have the chance to complete a memorable double when they face Wasps in the English Premiership final next week.
More to follow…