Exeter cruise past Castres
MATCH REPORT: Exeter Chiefs kicked off their Champions Cup campaign with a commendable 24-12 win over Castres Olympique at Stade Pierre Fabre on Saturday.
Sam Simmonds, Dave Ewers, Sam Maunder and Olly Woodburn were the 2020 champions’ try-scorers as they secured a bonus-point victory at a notoriously tough venue.
Castres’ points came solely from the boot of Julien Dumora, with the TOP 14 side struggling to offer any sustained threat despite their competitiveness at the breakdown.
In a turgid first half, Exeter drew first blood as No.8 Simmonds, EPCR European Player of the Year in 2020, produced a typically impressive turn of pace to dart over in corner.
Full-back Dumora put points on the board for Castres with a penalty on 23 minutes, but Exeter crossed shortly after as flanker Ewers powered over from close range.
But ill-discipline cost Exeter over the remainder of the half, with Dumora continuing to chip away at the visitors’ lead, the fourth of his penalties drawing Castres level on the stroke of half-time.
Exeter made a dream start to the second half as their pressure saw Castres wing Geoffrey Palis yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on before scrum-half Maunder darted over from close range.
However, the visitors were unable to take further advantage of their extra man, spending the majority of Palis’ sin-bin period under their own posts amid a series of Castres scrums.
Exeter survived that period of pressure, and despite Castres being back up to their full complement, the visitors produced their best rugby of the game as full-back Stuart Hogg ran from deep and fed Olly Woodburn for the bonus-point try with an hour played.
And Exeter’s defence held firm over the remainder of the contest, restricting Castres to few try-scoring chances, with a Joe Simmonds penalty on 68 minutes wrapping up an impressive win.
Exeter is at home to the free-scoring Bulls in Round Two next Saturday, with Castres visiting Edinburgh on the same day.
The scorers
For Castres Olympique
Pens: Dumora 4
Exeter Chiefs
Tries: Simmonds, Ewers, Maunder, Woodburn
Cons: Simmonds 2
Pen: Simmonds
Teams:
Castres: 15 Julien Dumora, 14 Geoffrey Palis, 13 Thomas Combezou, 12 Antoine Zeghdar, 11 Filipo Nakosi, 10 Louis Le Brun, 9 Gauthier Doubrere, 8 Tyler Ardron, 7 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 6 Mathieu Babillot (captain), 5 Tom Staniforth, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Wilfrid Hounkpatin, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 1 Antoine Tichit.
Replacements: 16 Pierre Colonna, 17 Loîs Guérois-Galisson, 18 Antoine Guillamon, 19 Théo Hannoyer, 20 Kevin Kornath, 21 Josaia Raisuqe, 22 Rory Kockott, 23 Adrien Seguret.
Exeter: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Rory O’Loughlin, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Sam Maunder, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Christ Tshiunza, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Will Becconsall, 22 Solomone Kata, 23 Josh Hodge.
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Daniel Carson (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Source: @ChampionsCup